Chapter 14 SS-class Threat. A 'Big One.' A.K.A. Leviathan. A Kaiju

Enji looked at perfect circle of untouched floor in the center of the devastation. 

"God damn it, I threw everything at that damn barrier! Everything! And it did nothing!"

His mind replayed the hours—the exploding blue fireballs, the concussive blasts that had shaken the very foundations of the room. And through it all, that pale blue bubble hadn't even flickered.

"Not only that... Osanai... She didn't hold back. She was like some crazy animal out there, shooting those drills with that... that crazed look on her face while she was smiling and giggling. Damn, what a creepy woman. And still. Not even a crack. It may be a damn UR-tier magic, but this damn extra trash has 0 magic power! My Blue Flame should have at least made a crack in it! God damn it all... Am I that weak?! I will not leave it like this!"

Enji's furious internal monologue was cut short by a quiet, hesitant voice.

"Enji-kun. I need to tell you something."

"Yeah? And what is that?

 "I'm sorry. For the other day. At the gates, on the first day. You offered to be friends, and I was rude to you."

"I'm way past that, don't worry about it."

 "Honestly... to tell you the truth, I'm afraid to make new friends. You see, ten years ago, I lost all my friends. And more. In a... terrible accident. Since then, I just can't... I can't let anyone close. I'm afraid to lose them again. So, um... I just wanted you to know that was the reason. But if the offer still stands... we can be friends."

Enji looked away, grunting.

 "Yeah. Whatever, man. I don't care. As long as I get to burn you."

He pushed himself to his feet, wincing as the movement jarred his burnt hands.

"But now, I think I'm gonna follow Osanai's example and hit the showers. Then go to the healer. My hands starting to hurt."

He took a step towards the door, then paused, not looking back.

"Oi, Ultra Extra! You're coming or what?"

"I'll be there in a minute, Enji-kun."

-----------------

One week later, training room.

The usual group was gathered. They were just about to begin when the doors slid open and Instructor Arata strode in.

"Listen up! Attention! Today you won't be training! For some of you, it's been two weeks; others have had one week of intense workout. Today, we do your stat reevaluation. This is standard procedure every two weeks."

He gestured toward the Mana Focus Crystal.

"After that, we go to the classroom. I will be announcing your teams and members. Then, we will talk about your first official job that we will embark on tomorrow! But more on that later. Now, line up and check your stats!"

There were no arguments. The students immediately moved to form a line. Enji, as expected, shoved his way to the front.

"Move it, trash! I'm going first!"

Mirai simply pulled Shota closer and hugged him. Shota, standing beside her, gave a small, rare smile.

 "It's fine. I can go last."

The rest of the students fell in line behind Enji. He slammed his palm onto the crystal with a confident smirk. A ball of blue flame erupted, hotter and more controlled than before. 

FIRE MAGIC \ TIER-2 \ POWER: C

He had broken into the C-tier. Enji's smirk widened into a triumphant grin. 

"Finally! Now we're getting somewhere!" 

The line moved on. One by one, students placed their hands on the Mana Focus Crystal, and the screen displayed their growth. Everyone saw improvements from the weeks of brutal training.

Mirai channeled her power, and the crystal responded, cycling through her affinities in a brilliant display. 

EARTH MAGIC \ TIER-2 \ POWER: C+
- Rock Drill
- Steel Drill
- Battle Dress
HEALING MAGIC \ TIER-0 \ POWER: F

She gave a wide smile, pleased with her progress.

Finally, it was Shota's turn. He walked forward slowly and placed his hand on the crystal. The now-familiar, serene blue light of his barrier enveloped the orb. 

BARRIER MAGIC \ TIER: UR \ POWER: E+
FIRE MAGIC \ TIER-1 \ POWER: F

 It was no longer a flat zero. After two weeks of weathering a storm of blue flames and steel drills, his mana reserves had finally begun to expand.

He stared at the screen, then down at his hand, as if seeing it for the first time.

"Fire magic? I have... fire magic?"

“Sho-kun!” Mirai squealed, launching herself at him and wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug, completely ignoring the rest of the class.

 “You see! You see! I knew it! You’re amazing! You have fire magic now too! My Sho-kun is so talented and wonderful!”

She peppered his cheek with quick, playful kisses, her euphoria making her oblivious to his stunned stiffness. 

“This is the best news! We have to celebrate!”

From the front of the room, Enji watched the display with a scowl. 

“Tch. So what if you got a spark now! It’s Tier-1. Power F. That’s trash-level. With your pathetic magic power, that little flicker wouldn’t even light a candle. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Ultra Extra. Fire is about power and destruction. That weak little thing won’t help you at all.”

He jabbed a thumb at his own chest, a confident flame flickering to life on his fingertip.

"But a guy like you doesn't have to worry about that! Because the great Heatobursto-sama is standing right in front of you! I'll make a real Fire Wizard out of you! I'll train that pathetic flicker until it's a proper blaze! Or I'll burn you to a crisp trying! One or the other!"

-------------------

Back in the classroom, Instructor Arata stood before the monitor.

 "Alright, listen up. Your teams will be comprised of three members. This is your unit for training, missions, and likely your first year as junior pros. Once you graduate, you can be scouted by established agencies, form your own, or go independent. But for now, you learn to work as a trio."

He clicked a remote, and the monitor on the wall lit up, displaying the team assignments.

The first team flashed up: Kinetic, Nature's Call, Voidstrike. A practical, balanced team of raw power, control, and stealth.

Then, the second team appeared.

Heatburst, Ultra Extra, Miss R.R.

Enji’s head slowly turned to stare at Shota and Mirai.

"Tck! I guess it's better than nothing."

Mirai’s reaction was the opposite. Her terrifyingly ecstatic smile spread across her face. She clapped her hands together softly.

 "Oh, this is perfect~! Now I get to keep my Sho-kun all to myself!"

Shota simply looked at the screen. He was now officially teamed with the boy who wanted to burn him alive and the girl who wanted to possess him. 

The rest of the class assignments scrolled by, but nobody was paying attention. 

The low murmurs in the classroom died instantly as Instructor leaned forward, planting his knuckles on the lectern. 

"Alright. The fun and games are over. The teams are set. Now, we talk about your first job. And you will listen! Intelligence has confirmed an SS-class threat. A 'Big One.' A.K.A. Leviathan. A Kaiju. It is approaching the barrier and will make landfall tomorrow morning. 

The entire Top 5, including the Wizard King himself, will be there to intercept it. We are mobilizing an army of support wizards, just for this one fight. This will be the largest defensive operation since the day the barrier was cast. 

I once watched the Witch Queen handle this SS-tier Leviathan off the coast of Shinjuku. She was sipping tea on a balcony. She saw it on the news feed, sighed, and said, 'Ara, ma... an SS-tier. What a naughty boy. He needs some punishment. I'll be right back.'

She flicked her finger. A fireball of Black Flame crossed the city and made the beast run with his tale between its legs. No fanfare. No army. She was back before her tea got cold."

"And now," Instructor Arata continued, "we need the Wizard King, the army, the entire Top 5, and all of the support wizards to handle an SS-tier. Never forget what we lost. And never forget why your job tomorrow, as small as it seems, is so damn important. We don't have her anymore. All we have is each other.

But I don't need any heroics out there! Your job is not to fight the Kaiju. If you so much as look at it wrong, you will die. Your team, and all the other academy teams, will be positioned in the support sector, behind the main defense line."

He held up a single finger.

"Your one and only objective: intercept the minions. These things always spawn lesser entities—parasites, fragments, whatever you want to call them. If even one gets past the line and into the city, people die. Never forget! Tokyo has a barrier, but the rest of the world don't! And it's the pro wizard's job to make it safe! You will stop them. That is the entire mission."

His voice dropped, becoming deadly serious.

"This is not a field trip. This is not a test. You will see destruction on a scale you cannot imagine. You will be there to assist, to support, and to witness what it truly means to be a Pro Wizard. You do not engage the primary target. You follow orders without question. You keep the perimeter clean. We go in, we do our job, and if we're very, very lucky, we all come back."