"Good. Just like that. Devour everything, Empress Dragon's Great Jaw."
Both hands gripping the hilt, Stella raised the massive crimson blade high above her head, then brought it crashing down with overwhelming force.
In an instant, the sword's body blazed with heat like a miniature sun, and with her powerful shout, a majestic flame dragon burst forth.
"—Rooaaar!"
The dragon bellowed, carving an erratic path through the air as it swooped down on Makoto.
The atmosphere itself was burning.
Even space seemed to ripple and twist under the searing heat.
A charred stench spread rapidly, and a blackened trail was scorched across the ground as the dragon cut the distance between them in half almost instantly.
"So this is what they call a Noble Art, huh? Truly terrifying. Caught in that, I'd be reduced to charcoal in an instant."
Makoto lowered his eyelids slightly and raised Kūretsu in his hand.
"I haven't really trained this thing yet. Let's see… how did the director do it yesterday again? I'll just borrow a page from her."
Recalling Kurono's method from the day before, Makoto pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bullets of magical energy instantly loaded, and dozens were fired in a heartbeat.
"—Spatial Formation."
Bang bang bang!
"—Roooaaar!"
Though the flame dragon was but a construct of fire, the moment Makoto's magic bullets struck it, the beast howled in what seemed like genuine pain.
And that wasn't all.
Every impact point twisted into hollow distortions, as though pulled by invisible gravity.
The dragon's body was being torn apart, piece by piece. Even its unbearable heat weakened noticeably.
"I see… just as the registry described—an interference ability manipulating space-time concepts. Exactly as troublesome as I thought."
That was why Makoto hadn't bothered hiding one of his Devices this time, unlike against Kurono.
Because for registration, every student's basic stats, rank, ability, and innate Device were recorded in the system.
Which meant Stella's only choice was to keep pressing her assault relentlessly.
"Then I'll melt even space itself."
She reversed her grip, blade downward, hilt upward, and with all her strength drove it into the ground.
"—Raging Dragon's Roar."
"Ahhhhhh—!"
Unrestrained torrents of magic poured from Stella into the greatsword. In mere moments, Makoto could feel at least a fifth of her magic power vanish.
But the effect was undeniable.
Moisture in the air evaporated instantly. Simply standing within the area made skin sting with searing heat.
Around Stella, the world turned crimson. Behind her, infernal flames erupted skyward like volcanic magma, as though intent on melting the very earth itself.
"Devour the enemy whole—Purgatory Dragon's Great Jaw!"
The blade flared again with crimson fire.
"—ROOOOAAAARRR!"
With a deafening dragon's roar, seven colossal flame dragons surged up behind Stella.
They howled with madness and fury, exuding terrifying heat.
Each one dwarfed the earlier flame construct.
The dragon from before had been nothing but a hatchling. These were true lords of the skies—monarchs among beasts.
Their heat alone was on another scale altogether.
Each dragon radiated a temperature easily exceeding three thousand degrees.
With such monstrosities descending upon him, this was a scene straight from myth.
"In that case—Void Severing!"
Bang bang bang bang bang!
Five shots fired, one for each direction—north, south, east, west, and above.
Immediately, five translucent walls manifested, enclosing Makoto in a perfect barrier.
"—ROOOOAAAARRR!"
The seven flame dragons twisted and roared as they hurtled toward him without hesitation, slamming into the shield.
BOOM!
The first dragon exploded on impact, erupting into black smoke.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The others followed, crashing into the barrier from every angle.
It was like standing atop an erupting volcano, molten rock swallowing Makoto whole.
The blazing inferno engulfed the area, scorching it into cinders. The ground itself crumbled to ash, flames ravenously devouring all they touched.
But most shocking of all was the barrier, burning at its limits.
Its flickering glow betrayed the rapid drain of its energy.
Even the spectators began to thin out—few were foolish enough to risk death just for a better view.
"So this is the luxury of one with such magic reserves? Enviable, truly."
The flames continued to rage, engulfing Makoto's position.
But his voice carried clear across the training ground—calm, unshaken.
"My apologies. But this, too, is part of my strength. If you want to complain, I've no words to offer."
Stella pulled her blade free from the ground, eyes blazing as she stared into the column of fire.
"Of course I won't complain. Because in certain areas, my ability surpasses yours."
A faint tickle brushed her ear as a familiar voice whispered from uncomfortably close by.
"Physical ability, for instance. Don't you agree, Stella?"
"You finally fell for it."
Stella didn't even turn around. Instead, her figure scattered like flame itself.
"—Heat Haze Curtain."