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I invoked Foggy Forest. The participants surrounding us had been on guard, vary but that was promptly replaced by an expression befuddlement, pausing on their movements.

"How could Allen Rovenne, who had been certified to have no talent in attribute conversion by the staff of tournament, be capable of using a water attribute magic?" They must have been seized with these thoughts, at how I had deceived everyone.

"A-Allen, you..." Even Dol, who I had notified priorly, flapped his mouth in vain, seemingly wanting to ask me about it but couldn't. I think I just saw his soul hanging out of his mouth from the shock.

"Dol!"

I whispered his name under my breath as I sprinted, getting him to move again.

Justeria's participants caught us running out the circle, and turned toward the remaining Rosemieur's duo, firing their magic at them out of confusion.

In parallel, Purim-senpai—he had already conjured it, just awaiting my cue to fire it off—shifted his aim  at Justeria's participants just as he was losing his control over his spell and shot it at them.

"—Haaa! Blue Rat!"

«Justeria - Porin Eliminated. 7 Points to Yuglia Kingdom.»

«Justeria - Retro Eliminated. 8 Points to Yuglia Kingdom.»

Flustered, Justeria's participant tried to tank the spell out with mana guard, but the might of Senpai's best magic subdued them easily and eliminated them.

Arichi-san and her team were a choice too, but Purim-senpai should've judged it would be impossible to win in a frontal confrontation. It was quite a contrast, but despite Arichi-san being nicknamed the «Burning Witch», the uniqueness of Rosemieur's bloodline, as a matter-of-fact, was in exceptional rigidity of Mana Guard.

And as the truest member of Rosemieur bloodline, Arichi-san excelled in it just as well, and unsurprisingly, Purim-senpai hadn't been able to defeat her even once in the past tournaments.  In fact, by courtesy of her mana guard's integrity and sustenance efficiency, she had not been eliminated even once.

Anyway, I was quite involved in Purim-senpai's mastery over the «Blue Rat» spell. One day, he had come with a despondent expression, spelling how his current spells lacked enough firepower. Well, now that I recall back, he must have been struggling with the idea of piercing through Arichi-san's mana guard.

Of course, being myself, I let my imagination run wild and recommended to shape his magic into a form of animal. There was no particular reason, except that it looked cool.

"How in tarnation does this even make sense?" The other club members, who had been straining their ears to our conversation, objected in unison. I had adlibbed my way, like "Don't you dare to ignore the impact of visuals! The spirit is in the details..." and ignored their objection.

It didn't erase everyone's doubts, but Purim-senpai gave it a try. He had then asked for an opinion over which animal to choose, so I recommended rat—an example of trust and accomplishment. The only choice for the lightning element. It was derived from the certain popular character from certain monster catching game, popular nationwide.l

Boo~, that's so lame. The other jeer immediately followed, but Purim-senpai followed with a chuckle, "You sure are unsparing, Coach. Fine, I shall take it from scratch, and start with a rat.   To the greater height—" his expressions were like a person making a heart-wrenching choice, pointing at the sky and engrossed into a severe training.

Then, by the moment he had finally manifested his thunder beast—a rat that appeared more like a capybara with a no-thought-in-its-head expression, Purim-senpai's spell strength had, mysteriously, improved by quite a margin.

Mujikka-sensei quoted the explanation to be—"It must be the culmination of his talent, and rebuilding his foundation, even if that’s not the initial goal. I see, the spirit is in the details, huh..."

I had no talent for attribute conversion, so I had no idea what she said, but overall, I take it that Senpai took the right step. And when it was confirmed it was the right path, Senpai gained a new determination to continue on his training.

That was just a start, and now, after going through fruitful labour, Purim-senpai's «Blue Rat» now boasts quite impressive firepower.

But I derailed. Back to the situation, since it didn't feel like the spell would work as effectively against guarded Arichi-san, he had decided it would be better to focus on points, and contend in that aspect.

This was one start, and that spurred everyone else to jump on taking actions immediately.

«Bearentz Archipalegao: Sard eliminated. One Point to the Kuwal Republic.»

Amidst the chaotic melee in an environment with poor visibility, the participants of Bearentz Archipelago become one of its casualties. Taking advantage of the situation, we moved to take a detour to get out of each other's target.

"You're not escaping anywhere, Allen-san!"

Alas, Arichi-san was far too competent to ignore our action.

She wound herself in mana guard, and sprinted in our direction. Despite the visibility being hindered, she made use of her vast mana reserve and rained fireballs over a wide area to catch us.

"Lookout-Soldier-War-Person-All-Formation-Row-Front!"

Dol left behind his landmines to slow her down, but Arichi-san charged through them like a landmine buster.

"Tch! Let's split into two teams! At least one of us could still hope to gain points!"

"Gotcha!"

"Roger!"

We split up with Dol, nevertheless Arichi-san continued to bolt in our direction, the fireballs coming out of her like a gatling gun.

Wasn't she too hot on our trails?! It's as if I had killed her parents.

"I am not going to lose here! Just like I promised my hero Grayfia, we're going to triumph in our respective tournaments!"

I-I admired her spirit, but come on, that's not what you say with that blood demon like expression!

«Kuwol Republic: Nebif Eliminated. Eight Points to the Rosemieur Empire.»

In the direction Dol had left, Eclair-san from Rosemieur had been engaging into battle, and it was turning into quite intense. With her latest score, Yuglia and Rosemieur were now facing at the standoff with matching points.

"...It doesn't seem like she's going to stop anyhow. I will stop Princess Arichi here. I... I believe in you and Dol to take care of rest, Coach!"

"Senpai?"

His expression laced with a resolve, Purim-senpai slowed down to confront Arichi-san as he warded off incoming fireballs. The distance between them closed at a rapid pace.

"Out of my way! I will be your opponent later, so leave for now!"

"You can do your best then! I am here to win, too! This is for Coach, and the club members who made the club a place I can belong too!"

I don't remember specifically trying to make a place for Senpai though? ...I guess, as an elite even among elites in the academy, there must have been few places he could have mingled in.

The two fired off their spells almost at a point-blank range and crashed into each other—to be precise, Purim-senpai spread his hand out and hugged Arichi-senpai to stop her charge.

"Wha—?!"

This exchange must have been out of her expectation, and that was reflected in Arichi-san's bewildered expression.

"——Blue Hug."

Then, while Arichi-san was seized by confusion, Senpai invoked his point-blank range spell. *Crackle* The two were instantly enveloped in azure lightning.

This was new. I was also looking at that spell for the first spell. I had once experienced it once, ah but I wasn't caught in a hug like that.

I once requested Senpai, as I had wanted to feel the impact of lightning magic, to use his magic on me. He gave me an electric shock via handshake. At first, the output began in the intensity of the electric massager, then gradually he amped up to the degree I had to use mana guard to defend.

I requested him to keep going, since the point of it was to feel the effect of the lightning attribute. Then gradually, my body was seized in paralysis, I couldn't properly control my mana, and ultimately, I couldn't even sustain mana guard.

At first, I wasn’t sure if that’s what truly happened, with repeated experience of the lightning attribute, I realised it was possible to replicate the effect.

Senpai must have found it to be quite an interesting phenomenon, and dived head first into further research of it. Then, as the experiment continued, I pulled in others, well more like every club member, as the test subject in the list of victims, thoroughly studying the impact and condition.

The «Blue Hug» must be the spelling Senpai devised from his research. It was impossible to exchange handshakes on the battlefield, so obviously he would have to come up with other means to use the spell. I was also looking forward to the answer Senpai would arrive at.

"G-Get away from me!"

Arichi-san tried to force herself out of Senpai's arms, but Senpai coiled his right hand around her neck, and grabbed that right hand by left hand. Neck lock, was it?

"Arichi-sama!"

Eclair-san approached in fluster.

"...I.. am fine... ta—ke care of ...Rudolf Austin......"

The two entangled pairs fall down in wrestling, but Senpai never loosened his grasp or stopped electrocuting her.

He was going all out here. The lightning raced across them, but it had yet to breach Arichi-san’s defense. Eclair-san tried to get them away by shooting her spell, but lightning coiling around them dispersed it before it could even touch their clothes.

At such output, Senapi would be out of mana in ten more seconds at best. However, the strategy was effective, and Arichi-san couldn't counterattack for the due duration, perhaps she had to focus entirely on keeping up her mana guard.

It would be Senpai's victory if he pierced through Arichi-san's mana guard and destroyed the brooch. Well, if Arichi-san managed to endure through, she would win regardless.

"Haaaa!!"

A roar suddenly came out of Senpai, seemingly to unleash the remaining bout of mana at once, increasing the output of lightning.

"Grrraggh!"

A groan escaped from Arichi-san. The moment of conclusion was nigh close.

And then, when the lightning began to wane down—

«Rosemieur: Arichi Eliminated. Nine Points to Yuglia.»

Arichi-san's brooch gave off. Senpai promptly released his spell, but neither of them could stand up. It appeared Arichi-san had fainted in the aftermath.

"Can you hold up, Senpai?!"

I hurriedly caught up to him, who rolled from over Arichisan, and turned in my direction, his lips curled in vexation.

"I apologise...Coach...I...... didn't win."

*Crack* Fissures overran Senpai's brooch.

«Yuglia: Purim Eliminated. Nine Points to Rosemieur.»

Ah. Arichi-san must have delivered an attack before falling unconscious.

I shook my head, and simply remarked.

"Nah, you stole the show with your coolness, Senpai.»

Senpai smiled wryly, as if embarrassed.

"Heh. I guess, since you always kept saying 'being cool is all that matters,' I will take that as honor. There's nothing better."