Amy's Battle

Dark smoke rose around Amy's face.

However, the smoke wasn't actually coming from her skin but from the thin layer of compressed air around her, created by a magic called Air Shield, which formed an instant localized barrier.

Amy: "Changing the meeting place only to ambush me? Still as cowardly as ever."

Standing in the same position where she had landed, Amy slowly straightened her knees.

Behind her, the man who had given her the note was grinning sinisterly.

Man: "Heh, I've got a lot of grudges against you. If you had just given in, this would've been easier for both of us."

Amy: "Cut the disgusting talk and tell me—where is Shirone?"

At her words, five people landed from the sky, surrounding her.

Jake, the leader of the Black Magicians, looked around and smirked.

Jake: "You really came alone? This is unexpected. So, does Amy finally have someone precious to her?"

Amy: "What nonsense? I can handle all of you on my own. I asked—where is Shirone?"

Jake: "Haha! That weakling is probably at the library, clueless that the girl who came to save him is in danger. What an idiot."

Realizing she had been deceived, Amy, instead of panicking, let out a relieved sigh.

Without a hostage, neither Jake nor his subordinates could lay a finger on her.

Amy: "Calling me out means you're ready to die, right?"

Jake: "Hah! Scary. But do you think it'll be that easy? The ones we've crushed before all started out as confident as you. Book-smart students who underestimated us in real combat..."

Amy entered her Spirit Zone.

Amy: "You still haven't learned?"

Jake, recalling the events of the previous day, reacted instantly, but once again, he had given up the first move—a costly mistake.

Amy ignored him and targeted the Black Magicians guarding the rear.

With rapid-fire Flame Strikes, one of the men's clothes caught fire.

Man: "Aaaah! H-hot!"

The others turned pale.

They hadn't expected the top-ranked student of the advanced class to be capable of real combat magic.

'She really did it. This girl is insane.'

Even among magic school students, fire-type magic was extremely dangerous.

Jake shouted: "Put out the fire! Everyone, move!"

As the Black Magicians scattered, Amy's Spirit Zone rotated complexly, tracking their movements.

Unlike training, human actions were unpredictable, and each counter-rotation gave her a splitting headache.

Yet, her accuracy never wavered—another man was engulfed in flames.

Man: "Aaaaaah!"

Jake gritted his teeth.

'She really is the top of the advanced class. But targeted attacks are weak against multiple opponents. And...'

Flying into the air, Jake smirked.

'She's vulnerable to vertical rotation.'

He raised his arms, compressing the air into sharp blades, then launched them downward.

'Wind Cutter!'

Just as he thought victory was assured, Amy twisted her upper body at an incredible speed, narrowly dodging.

Jake gasped in shock.

Jake: "Impossible! How did she react at that distance?!"

Amy: "It's called Schema, idiot."