The Weight of Having Power

"Since when?"

"It was... a very long journey."

Within those cryptic words lay all the emotions Shirone had experienced.

"Don't worry, Teacher. I understand now. I won't make the same mistake again."

Etella realized that Shirone no longer needed advice.

He had come to his own realization and had stopped himself. The choice now rightfully belonged to him.

"Good. Please take care of yourself. Your teacher cares for you deeply and loves you very much."

As a monk rather than a mage, Etella was genuinely concerned about Shirone's mental state.

"Yes. I will remember."

Seizing the opportunity, not just the juniors but even the students of Class Five rushed forward in excitement.

"I love you too, Teacherrr!"

If it had been Shina, she would have scolded them, but Etella simply patted each student on the head one by one.

"Yes, I love you all. Now, let's conclude the exam."

Class Five gathered in the training grounds.

Everyone had done their best, and regardless of the results, they felt a sense of relief.

"You all did well. But isn't it nice that test days end early? Get some rest, and from next time, let's train joyfully again. You've all worked hard."

As Etella performed a formal monastic bow, the students—half playfully, half respectfully—mimicked her.

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher!"

Even after Etella had left the mountain, the students remained, unable to shake off the lingering emotions of the moment.

"Shirone, this is amazing! Amy will love this for sure. Or... will she be mad that her record got broken? Who cares! Her boyfriend won! Hohoho!"

Seriel's chatter filled the air, but Shirone's face clearly showed exhaustion.

'Just want to rest...'

As if in answer to his unspoken prayer, Iruki approached, and silence fell upon the entire training ground.

"Ohhh."

The students watched with anticipation.

They were eager to see how the arrogant genius would mock Shirone this time.

But to everyone's surprise, Iruki's response was straightforward.

"I lost. A complete defeat."

"No, I don't see it that way."

"No need to be humble. Especially when someone like me is outright admitting defeat."

"I really don't think I won. This test was about targeting. But the magic I cast at the end covered the entire space."

"Heh. You're such a stickler. That was still targeting. You just eliminated all targets at once. You won, so don't feel bad about it."

Shirone thought for a moment, then his eyes sharpened.

"Then acknowledge this—I'm not just an idealist. To study magic powerful enough to erase a city while ignoring the value of human life is wrong."

"Yeah. You're right. I'm sorry."

Shirone was caught off guard by Iruki's unexpectedly quick acceptance.

Even if he disliked it, he had to admit—Iruki was a pure numbers-driven intellect, focused solely on results.

"...Are you serious?"

"Shirone, you misunderstand. Explosions are not violence. Violence is an intent to harm someone. That's a human choice. An explosion has no intent—it's just energy, stronger than what humans can typically handle."

"But just because it has no intent doesn't mean people won't get hurt. It's people who wield that energy."

"Exactly. That's why I define explosions like this—uncontrollable energy. But what if you could control them? An explosion strong enough to destroy a city could also generate energy to sustain a hundred thousand lives."

Shirone blinked.

"That would usher in a new era. Fewer wars over scarce resources. More people leading prosperous lives. I'm not saying I have some noble mission. But if such a world is possible, shouldn't we at least try? My abilities exist for that purpose."

"Uh..."

Shirone's thoughts swirled, but for once, Iruki's words struck home.

"You could've just said that from the start. No need for all the hostility."

Iruki chuckled.

"That's why you're so pure. Even if we could control energy, if we can't control the humans using it, it could still destroy the world. But Shirone, I won't stop. Fear of failure won't hold me back—even if I end up as one of the casualties."

"...And if you can't control it? If that happens, no one will be able to take responsibility."

"Haha! Exactly. That's why."

Iruki collapsed onto the ground, staring up at the sky.

"So should I just quit here? Waste my days in Class Five, and if that gets boring, go live as a dungeon hermit? I keep thinking... maybe the world is better off without someone as dangerous as me."

The classmates were dumbfounded.

So the reason Iruki had stayed in Class Five... was because he feared his own talent?

Shirone felt unsettled.

'What is this guy? An idealist? A realist? Which one is he?'

Or was he just an eccentric?

"So..."

Iruki held out his hand. Shirone took it and pulled him up. As he rose, Iruki spoke.

"From now on, you're responsible for me."

"Huh? Responsible?"

"I've never imagined losing to anyone before. So maybe you'll be the only person who ever defeats me. If, in the distant future, my path leads to disaster, I want you to stop me. If I don't deserve to exist in this world, then even if you kill me, I won't resent you."

Shirone was flustered.

"But we should give it more time..."

Iruki interrupted.

"If you don't do it, I won't move forward. No—I won't even try."

Shirone gazed into Iruki's eyes.

There was no sarcasm, no bravado, no exaggeration—only raw, undeniable truth.

"Alright."

If he refused here, his own words would be reduced to mere idealism.

"I will stop you. No—I will make sure you never make that mistake in the first place."

The students were speechless.

'What are these guys even talking about? Do they actually think they can do it? This is just Class Five!'

For their words to become reality, countless obstacles would have to be overcome. But unlike the other classmates, Nade was genuinely moved by their sincerity.

"Aaaah! You guys are incredible! That's why you're my friends! Alright, let's do our best from now on!"

As Nade pulled them both into a bear hug, Shirone and Iruki exchanged smiles.

'Maybe... he's not so bad.'

As they shared similar thoughts, Shirone reflected on his duel with Iruki.

'He was incredibly strong.'

Perhaps next time, he wouldn't be able to win. But Shirone didn't mind.

Because he knew—if anyone could stop Iruki, it had to be him.

'I will protect him.'

After all, only something infinite could halt the force of light-speed destruction.