Next to the Summoning Arts Teaching Tower, the combat training zone was a semi-open circular arena. The ground was paved with anti-magic materials, and basic protective barriers had been set up around the perimeter, sufficient for freshmen-level summoners to practice their duels.
Camilla and Shana stood at opposite ends of the arena, and a spontaneous ring of students had already gathered around them. Even a few passing Second-Year Students stopped in their tracks to watch the commotion.
“The rules are simple!”
Shana’s voice was crisp and powerful. By her side, the Flameblood Wolf was already poised to pounce, its crimson fur bristling, sparks flickering between its teeth.
“Unlimited duel. The match goes on until one side admits defeat or loses the ability to fight. Summoners themselves can be attacked.”
She emphasized that last point, her gaze burning as she stared at Camilla.
It was clear that after suffering so many crushing defeats, she believed Camilla herself was the weak link in this team.
As long as she defeated the opposing summoner, the summoned beast, losing resonance, would be powerless to turn the tide.
“That’s fine, but are you sure you want to fight an unlimited duel against me?”
Camilla nodded, giving Shana a slightly odd look.
“Of course. What, are you scared?”
Facing Shana’s provocation, she shook her head, set her satchel aside, and Rimuru let out a “puchii” sound as it leapt out, landing at her feet. Its blue body gleamed translucently in the sunlight.
“Do you want the first move?”
“Of course… Blood Wolf! Flashflame Charge!”
Shana didn’t bother with any probing; she opened with a full assault.
The Flameblood Wolf let out a low growl, all four paws stomping down as scorching flames erupted from its body, rushing toward Camilla like a burning meteor. Its speed was incredible, hot wind swirling in its wake.
At the same time, Shana began chanting “Magic Missile,” aiming directly at Camilla. The barrage of energy bullets rained down like machine-gun fire on the girl.
“Rimuru.”
“Puchii!”
Hearing her name called, Rimuru immediately understood. Its body rapidly swelled, growing from the size of a washbasin to nearly as tall as a person. The translucent blue mass spread like a giant jelly web, opening its “mouth” wide at Shana.
“This move again?”
Shana’s pupils contracted, but she wasn’t surprised. In previous battles, she’d already figured out Rimuru’s fighting style—basically, it swallowed all energy attacks, used its malleable body to resist physical blows, then ensnared the enemy until they suffocated.
Simple, but effective. At least for summoners below the fourth tier, this strategy was almost impossible to counter.
But Shana had come prepared for this fight. While Rimuru swallowed the Magic Missile, the Blood Wolf had already closed in on Camilla, trying to tackle her to the ground.
Then, Camilla pulled a canned item from under her skirt.
“Awoo!”
Suddenly assaulted by a foul stench, the Blood Wolf howled in misery, its steps faltering. Seizing the opportunity, Rimuru snapped back to its original form midair, slamming down hard on the Blood Wolf’s back.
Rimuru began to reshape itself, its body like living “jelly” attempting to smother the opponent’s airways. The Blood Wolf unleashed wild flames but still couldn’t break free from Rimuru’s grasp.
“Blood Wolf!”
Shana’s expression changed. She was just about to rush over to help when Camilla’s voice suddenly rang out from her left.
“Don’t get distracted.”
Shana whipped her head around, shocked to find that Camilla had slipped out of her original position and was now rapidly closing in.
The enemy wasn’t retreating, but instead counterattacking?
“Wall of Fire!”
Shana reacted quickly, slamming her palm into the ground. A wall of fire, half as tall as a person, erupted between her and Camilla.
Yet Camilla’s forward motion never stopped. With a strange sideways twist, she slid past the wall’s edge like a swimming fish.
Shana couldn’t even see how she’d maneuvered around—the next moment, Camilla was already up close.
“Ha!”
Shana didn’t retreat. Instead, she stepped forward, right hand clenched in a fist shrouded in blazing fire, and threw a straight punch at Camilla’s face—she had some training of her own!
Camilla tilted her head slightly. The flaming fist grazed her hair, burning a few strands and releasing a whiff of charred scent. At the same time, her left hand shot out, precisely locking Shana’s wrist and twisting it downward.
“Urgh!”
Shana grimaced in pain, her arm caught in a joint lock. But gritting her teeth, she endured it, her left leg sweeping at Camilla’s lower body.
Camilla raised her knee to block. Their shins collided with a heavy thud.
“Not bad.”
Camilla raised an eyebrow, then abruptly let go and stepped back.
Shana took the chance to pull away, rubbing her aching wrist and glancing toward the other side of the arena.
The Blood Wolf was still struggling inside Rimuru, but its movements were growing weaker.
“Blood Wolf! Use it!”
She bit her lip and shouted, abandoning her concentration and pouring her spiritual energy into the Blood Wolf.
The trapped wolf’s eyes suddenly flashed a violent red. Its previously waning aura flared with new strength!
“It’s Savage Blaze! The Savage Blaze Trait is activated!”
Someone in the crowd gasped in surprise.
The Blood Wolf’s body began to swell, muscles bulging. The once-dim flames on its body reignited, shifting from crimson to dark red, the temperature visibly rising.
Rimuru’s body began to tremble violently, wisps of white smoke rising from its surface. For once, it felt a bit of pain.
But Camilla calmly ordered,
“Rimuru, spit it out.”
“Puu—chii!”
Rimuru abruptly contracted, and with a retching sound, spat the Blood Wolf out like a cannonball.
The expelled Blood Wolf rolled twice before springing upright. Its body had grown by almost a third, its breaths were heavy and ragged, and its eyes wild with fury. Clearly, it had entered the “Savage Blaze” state, trading reason and its master’s mental strength for a drastic surge in fighting power.
Which meant the weakness was now with the summoner.
Camilla understood at once. She increased the flow of her spiritual energy, helping Rimuru withstand the Blood Wolf’s assault, while seizing the chance to pummel the enemy’s backline.
Shana hastily wrapped her fists in flames to defend, but Camilla’s strikes came from impossible angles, landing precisely on her weak points.
Fists, palms, elbows, knees—Camilla’s attacks came like a raging storm. Though not exceptionally powerful on their own, they flowed seamlessly, forcing Shana to fall back step by step.
How are you so good at this?
The longer they fought, the more unnerved Shana became. She’d intended for the Blood Wolf to hold Rimuru while she took down Camilla herself, but hadn’t expected that they were using the exact same fighting style—and her opponent was far superior.
Meanwhile, the Blood Wolf, frustrated by its lack of progress, grew more violent. Suddenly, it lifted its head and let out a long howl. The dark red flames around its body shrank inward, condensing at its mouth and forming an ever-growing fireball—it was about to unleash its ultimate move.
Rimuru made no effort to dodge. Instead, it charged directly at the charging Blood Wolf.
The fireball in the wolf’s mouth was complete, about to be unleashed—when Rimuru suddenly leaped up and slapped its entire body over the wolf’s snout.
The fireball, now jammed inside the Blood Wolf’s mouth, detonated with a muffled boom. The wolf’s head was thrown back, and though Rimuru was blasted away, its resistance was far greater. After rolling twice, it bounced right back up, only its color a bit dimmer.
The Blood Wolf wasn’t so lucky. The explosion in its mouth had wounded it badly. It staggered backward, the flames around its body all but extinguished.
“Blood Wolf!”
Seeing this, Shana’s heart clenched, her movements faltering.
Camilla seized the opening, her hand chopping down on the inside of Shana’s defending arm, breaking her guard. Then, with a sidestep, she raised her leg and struck Shana’s abdomen.
“Ugh!”
Shana grunted, her whole body sent flying. She rolled several times before stopping, struggling to get up, but the pain in her stomach was so fierce she couldn’t muster any strength.
The Blood Wolf wanted to charge over to protect its master, but Rimuru had already blocked its path. The jelly-like green body swelled a little, giving a warning “puchii” sound.
“Do you want to keep going?”
Camilla stood where she was, brushing nonexistent dust from her uniform. Her breathing hadn’t even quickened.
Shana lay sprawled on the ground. She looked at her battered Blood Wolf nearby, then at Camilla, who hadn’t even broken a sweat. At last, she bit her lip and pounded the earth.
“…I admit defeat.”
The crowd around the arena fell silent.
“Thank you for the match.”
Camilla walked over to Shana and offered her a hand.