A Genius Boy Who Was Exiled From His Family Home for “Not Being Able To Use Magic” Becomes a Witch’s Apprentice and Masters All Magic in the Right Way. This Is How You Use Your Magic, You Know?

Chapter 157.2. Monster

However, Lucius overturned that.

The magic that strengthens his entire body. He concentrated it on his upper body and heightened the magic’s density. As a result, he succeeded in exceeding his limit, achieving the necessary movements to keep up with the reaction.

Of course, this is the classic case of “easier said than done”.

Normally, it would be useless or even counterproductive. If only one part of the body becomes excessively strong, it is impossible to control the body properly. The balance would be thrown off, and even the usual strength couldn’t be properly utilized.

Nevertheless, Lucius succeeded. Likely due to his relentless training, understanding of magic, and innate talent for magic.

For Hermes, achieving the same feat… would be impossible at the moment.

That means one thing.

This young man is the very embodiment of the theory that Hermes once considered and Rose spoke of.

He is a person who has reached the extreme that Hermes cannot—’someone who has perfected a single magic’.

(…Such a person exists?)

Holding his shoulder, Hermes stood up with a sense of awe, as the dust cleared before him. There,

“──Once again, truly impressive.”

──A single drop of blood trickled down from Lucius’ forehead.

“What──!?”

“Lucius-sama is bleeding!?”

The soldiers of the Northern Alliance raised their voices in confusion. It seemed that it was beyond belief that Lucius could be injured at all.

Ignoring the commotion, Lucius opened his mouth.

“Your magic was reflected. But at the moment the sword was about to hit, you anticipated the reflection and twisted your body—just that alone is worthy of awe, and yet you even aimed for my head!”

He explained what Hermes had done in that moment.

…Though it only resulted in a small graze. Hermes, lost in self-reflection, still heard no change in Lucius’ tone.

“Moreover, those eyes of yours, showing no sign of losing fighting spirit despite everything! Truly remarkable──but that is why it is such a shame.”

For the first time, Lucius lowered his gaze, somewhat cryptically.

“──With such power, why go against the Star God? You must have undergone considerable training to reach your level. Then, during that process, you should have encountered the glory of the gods as well.”

“……?”

At those words, Hermes felt a sense of discomfort. It was hard to put into words, but something about it felt… off.

After all, this man had only been met a few minutes ago, but through this battle, Hermes had come to understand something about his character.

The impression he had gotten was that something about these words was unnatural.

First, the content of what he was saying didn’t quite add up. Was Lucius aware of something Hermes didn’t know?

As Hermes analyzed the words, Lucius opened his mouth again, but then…

“I had hoped to exchange the results of our training until the end──but it seems that won’t be possible.”

The situation shifted.──In a bad direction.

From behind Lucius, there were the sounds of many footsteps. There was no need to ask what they were.

“The tenacity you’ve shown is praiseworthy. But the order was clear: secure this place.”

Reinforcements from the Northern Alliance. Given the scale of the footsteps, there were far more than a hundred. Even if Katia and the others arrived now, it was uncertain whether they could contend with the numbers.

The soldiers behind Hermes voiced their despair.

“Shall I ask, hero? What is your name?”

“……Hermes.”

Lucius’ question came despite the circumstances. Knowing it was futile to resist, Hermes answered, feeling a strange force compel him.

At the same time…

──An familiar magic surged from the other side. From the enemy.

He immediately recognized it and… in a sense, understood.

“Then, allow me to introduce myself properly! My name is Lucius.”

There were too many similarities. From his neat personality, his style and movements in battle, and even the weapon he used.

And with the Northern Alliance soldiers around him, Hermes began to have an inkling of who this person was.

“Lucius von Frodait. The legitimate son of the Frodait family, a noble house in the Northern Alliance, and the commander of the Alliance’s knights.”

And finally…

From the crowd behind him, the owner of the familiar magic— a beautiful silver-haired girl—leaped forward.

“And hear this, traitors of the North! Those who oppose the Star God and continue to defend the wrong order, these defiant fools, will not escape the wrath of the Northern Alliance Knights!”

Lucius, standing beside her, raised his voice to speak to Hermes’ soldiers as well.

“We, the ‘Frodrite siblings’, will not let you escape!”

Nina von Frodite.

Hermes’ friend from the academy and, as revealed during the academy incident, a spy for the enemy.

The girl, now standing next to Lucius, her older brother and Hermes’ enemy, looked at him with unreadable emotions in her golden eyes.

“Now that I think about it… you mentioned you have an older brother.”

As Hermes muttered softly, footsteps echoed from behind them.

It seemed that Katia and the others had finally descended the mountain and caught up.

…And so, by some twist of fate,

The group of individuals who had once spoken at the academy and shared various entanglements

Would meet again far sooner than expected.