Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Living as a Hero's Brother**

**Chapter 21: The Great Forest of Mezaija (3)**

There is still much debate about the casting speed of mages.

After all, dungeons are places where danger always lurks, and to respond to that danger, mages need to cast spells quickly to ensure their safety.

Some mages prepare in advance with memorized spells,

while others keep scrolls on hand to respond to danger for the same reason.

However, what most mages ultimately desire is instant casting.

The ability to cast spells immediately, without any warning, just like a knight drawing his sword.

Many exploratory mages dream of reaching such a level, but in reality, few achieve it.

Perhaps that's why Raviata momentarily looked surprised.

But that was all.

There were also mages who could perform instant casting around her, and besides, she had experienced too many situations to be surprised by such things.

*Bang*!

With a simple swing of her fist, Shane's magic projectile shattered and scattered in all directions.

Of course, Shane had anticipated that Raviata wouldn't be flustered by just this and didn't stop her attack.

"Ah."

While there are mages who can perform instant casting, it's even rarer to find one who can do it several times in a second.

In a moment, six magic projectiles flew like the wind, each drawing different curves as they approached simultaneously.

"Hmm."

Each of their destructive powers was like a heavy stone being thrown, and if hit, they would surely break bones.

Raviata took a deep breath and, in an instant, shattered all the magic projectiles with her fist.

"Huh. It's quite different from what I heard, isn't it?"

"..."

Raviata sincerely complimented, but Shane showed no reaction.

She just focused on casting multiple spells in her mind.

Once again.

"Oh? Another one?"

This time, Shane didn't stand still to cast her spells.

She circled around Raviata, designating the coordinates for the magic projectiles.

This time, the magic projectiles flew from all directions, surrounding Raviata.

Raviata's eyes widened in admiration.

It wasn't just about summoning many magic projectiles.

Some moved slowly, others drew gentle curves and moved quickly.

The varying speeds blurred judgment in an instant.

Shane's movement around the perimeter not only drew attention but also maintained distance.

The sparring was so skillful, it was hard to believe she was just an ordinary academy student.

It was as if she had a lot of experience dealing with people.

This point gave Raviata a faint sense of interest again.

Such talent has a promising future.

"Ha!"

With another short shout, Raviata's fist extended and simultaneously shattered the magic projectiles approaching her.

Even after the barrage of magic projectiles ended, Shane's movements didn't stop.

"Hmm..."

Raviata, thinking Shane might have more to show, watched as Shane took a deep breath, and another magic projectile was released.

But after seeing the same attack multiple times, it was starting to get boring.

The released magic projectiles didn't head toward Raviata this time.

"..."

The magic projectiles spread out in all directions, creating a chaotic pattern in the air, and as they hit the walls and ceiling, their paths became entangled.

Strangely, instead of exploding, the magic projectiles gained speed with each collision.

Soon, the projectiles were moving so fast that even Zahad, who had been watching, found it hard to follow them with his eyes.

Then, at a certain moment,

The magic projectiles that had been bouncing off the walls, ceiling, and floor suddenly poured down on Raviata.

"Wh-what..."

The combination of skill and precise control of magic power was hair-raising.

Any ordinary opponent would have been caught off guard by this attack.

But Raviata, who had honed her ability to read the movements of monsters in dungeons, found it difficult to deceive her dynamic vision.

With a smile of amusement, Raviata once again shattered the magic projectiles coming from all directions with her fist.

The magic projectiles exploded into pieces and scattered on the ground at a speed that was almost invisible to the eye.

Her movements were so fluid, it was hard to believe she was human.

But Raviata, recalling that time was running out, calmly looked at Shane.

"Really, you're amazing. I'm truly impressed. I think you've passed. Honestly, I thought the initial attacks wouldn't be very helpful due to their low destructive power, but the last one was good."

She clapped, saying her fists were a bit numb.

But Shane still said nothing and just looked at Raviata.

Feeling that it was time to end it, Raviata noticed the magic power gathering in Shane's hand.

Then,

"At least, it was worth the struggle."

"Huh?"

"I could definitely divert your attention."

"......?!"

Very secretly.

Like a spider web in the air.

After seeing the traces of the magic projectiles that had exploded and scattered on the ground connect with thin lines, Shane's fist moved forward.

* * *

One of the main advantages of magic based on runes is its versatility.

Unlike typical magic, which creates a path for magic power through numerous formulas, runes themselves contain magic power, so with enough skill, they can be used without incantations.

Moreover, with a wide range of runes, various combinations are possible.

With a little focus, creating a phenomenon like the one just witnessed was not impossible.

'What... exactly happened...?'

Professor Zahad, who had been watching the exchange with admiration, couldn't understand what had just happened.

It was so sudden that even Zahad, who studied magic phenomena, couldn't immediately grasp it.

All he observed was Shane taking a step forward and slowly extending her fist, but suddenly, she was in front of Raviata.

It was as if the space where Shane stood had moved.

On the other hand, Raviata felt a chill down her spine.

"Haha..."

For a moment, she felt dizzy.

It was hard to believe that Shane's fist had reached her stomach so quickly.

'Blink?'

The spell that can only be used by at least a 6th Circle mage?

No.

No.

Raviata had seen many mages and even had a mage in her own adventure party who could use Blink, but this was different.

If it were just Blink, she couldn't explain her dizziness.

She slowly replayed the events in her mind.

The fragments of the magic projectiles that had been scattered on the ground seemed to connect with threads of magic, and the space expanded and then suddenly contracted.

"......?"

Even Raviata, who had witnessed various strange phenomena in many dungeons, couldn't react to this.

Of course, if she had noticed the signs of magic use, she wouldn't have missed them, but what was important now was:

"You did well."

That Shane had passed the test.

* * *

"Hmm..."

Shane, who had just finished the contract, shook her head, feeling mentally exhausted.

Just now, there had been a heated argument with Raviata about what method she had used.

Of course, it's impolite to ask a mage to reveal their secrets, so James had tried to calm her down.

Professor Zahad, as someone who studies magic, was also curious but helped calm Raviata, and the contract was completed under better conditions.

Moreover, the sparring had been physically demanding.

The wound on her side was still being healed by a spirit.

The process of running around and casting multiple spells while continuously casting magic projectiles had been taxing on her body.

From the moment Shane first cast a magic projectile, she had also been casting a more complex triple rune spell on the side.

The runes used in the final rune spell were 'Expansion,' 'Refraction,' and 'Contraction.'

By expanding the space for a split second and then restoring it, she added flexibility to the space itself, added softness with refraction, and finally contracted it instantly to reduce the distance between Shane and Raviata.

In other words, she had twisted the space itself.

This was why Raviata had felt dizzy.

Until then, Shane had been casting magic projectiles to prepare for the spell and to distract Raviata from noticing the casting.

After finishing the simple review of the sparring, Klein approached with an awkward expression.

"Ah, Brother! Did everything go well?"

"It went well... Is something the matter?"

"Yes. Father is calling you."

"Father...?"

Shane nodded and headed to the place with the communication crystal with Klein.

"Father, you called?"

A moment later, her father, Lowell's voice came from the crystal.

-Yes. I called you because I have something to say. Do you have some time?

"Yes."

-How old are you now?

Suddenly?

What was the intention behind this question?

Even if her father didn't know her age well, Shane quickly understood the intention.

...This is something that didn't happen in my previous life.

"Eighteen."

-That's right. It's about time you took on the responsibilities of a family member.

"Is there something...?"

-Yes. A marriage proposal has been made for you.

"Wh-what?!"

The one who reacted to this wasn't Shane but Klein.

Oh.