The nickname "Elven Sniper" was a term of endearment everyone used for Mayumi.
However, it seemed some people had taken her stunning looks and the nickname as inspiration for… certain doujinshi.
Which was why Mayumi found the title utterly mortifying and refused to let anyone call her that.
No matter what.
The preliminary rounds for "Speed Shooting" were about to begin.
But the moment Mayumi stepped onto the stage, the entire venue erupted, pushing the excitement to its peak!
Deafening cheers surged like a tidal wave.
Her overwhelming popularity was enough to make her opponent hesitate.
Not that it was surprising.
After all, Mayumi-senpai's charm was nothing short of breathtaking.
Mayumi donned protective ear guards over her voluminous wavy hair and a pair of transparent goggles. Her team uniform consisted of stretchy long pants and a fitted, high-collared top that could easily be mistaken for a mini dress.
Paired with the rifle-shaped CAD required for Speed Shooting, she exuded a perfect blend of cuteness and gallantry, resembling the heroine of a near-future film.
Not to mention the graceful and composed demeanor she displayed when using "Magic Bullet Shooter."
She was practically the absolute goddess in the hearts of countless male magicians!
Otherwise, how could a title like "Elven Sniper" have come into existence?
Naturally, Mayumi won this match with ease—even faster than in previous years.
While her opponent had just shot down twenty clay pigeons, Mayumi had already shattered a hundred targets.
This speed was nothing short of astonishing, to the point where even Mayumi herself found it hard to believe. Her activation speed for Magic Bullet Shooter had improved by at least ten percent!
Moreover, the strain it placed on her was significantly less than before.
Meanwhile, over at the "Battle Board" venue, the excitement was just as intense, rivaling that of the Speed Shooting competition.
A group of girls clad in shark-patterned swimsuits leaned against their surfboards, floating on the waterway.
"Battle Board" was a speed competition where participants rode spindle-shaped boards—165 cm long and 51 cm wide—through an artificial watercourse.
Top speeds exceeded 30 knots—roughly 55 to 60 kilometers per hour.
Competitors stood on a single board with no windproof gear, navigating a twisting, rollercoaster-like aquatic track. While they couldn't use magic against each other, they were allowed to manipulate the water's surface with spells.
This high-octane, combat-tinged race was the kind of extreme sport that would captivate audiences in any era.
At the moment, the competitors from various schools were already in position on the waterway.
Most of them crouched on one or both knees, ready to sprint forward—except for Mari, who stood perfectly upright.
This contrast highlighted the differences in the competitors' sense of balance, but from another perspective, she looked like a queen commanding the fealty of her subjects.
Many young fans in the stands cheered for her, hailing her as the Queen of Battle Boards!
She and Mayumi effectively divided the admiration of the underclassmen in the audience.
However, this queen seemed somewhat distracted as she acknowledged the cheers of her supporters.
Her gaze lingered on the CAD strapped to her wrist, lost in thought.
"Is this really necessary?"
After receiving the CAD and learning that it had been equipped with a protective spell, Mari had immediately sought out Mahiro.
It was common knowledge that adding extraneous spells to a racing CAD could slow down the activation speed of other magic.
Thus, these devices typically stored only the few spells necessary for the competition.
"Don't worry, Watanabe-senpai. I understand your concerns."
"The passive protective spell I added won't affect the activation speed of any other magic. It's just a precaution."
"I know your magical prowess is more than enough to dominate the Battle Board, but there's no harm in being careful."
Especially with terrorists targeting First High.
However, Mahiro hadn't shared this information with Mari or the others, so she remained unaware.
Staring at the CAD on her wrist, she muttered under her breath, "Isn't this a bit of an overreaction?"
She had been participating in the "Battle Board" competition for three years now, and there had never been any accidents.
Yet, since it was her junior's kind gesture, she ultimately chose to accept it quietly.
And this preliminary round went just as Mari had confidently expected—without any mishaps.
Even when competitors from other schools stirred up towering waves on the watercourse, they still couldn't hinder her gliding speed.
Like a ruler of the ocean's tides, she secured first place in the preliminaries with absolute dominance—so much so that her opponents couldn't even share the same screen with her in the live broadcast.
"Congratulations, Watanabe-senpai, for taking first place!"
Mari humbly shook her head. "It's nothing. This was just the preliminaries. The real challenge is the finals the day after tomorrow."
Winning the preliminaries was entirely within expectations—what mattered more was the competition ahead.
"By the way, I heard you've prepared a big surprise for Mayumi. Is that true?"
"Of course it is."
Mahiro sat in front of the screen, deftly adjusting the CAD while flashing a mysterious smile. "But I can't tell you the details. Let's just say it'll be a match that'll leave everyone utterly stunned."
"Oh~? Keeping it all hush-hush, huh? Well, if you say so, I'll look forward to it a little."
Hearing this, Mari crossed her arms, her expression brimming with excitement.
For both her and Mayumi, this would be their last time participating in the Nine Schools Competition. If they could leave behind unforgettable memories, that would naturally be a good thing.
Mahiro didn't say anything more—he simply kept smiling.
After all, this was the "Elven Sniper's" final dance. How could they not make it a grand and spectacular farewell?
Time passed, and the afternoon's final match arrived.
The scorching sun blazed overhead, and waves of heat rose from the ground, the absurdly high temperatures distorting the very air.
Yet, the number of spectators had only grown since the morning!
Everyone had come to witness the "Elven Sniper's" last performance.
Soon, Mayumi—the star of the show—stepped onto the field. Her attire was the same as in the morning, and her demeanor was as spirited as ever.
But for some reason, her expression was unusually tense, lacking the ease she had shown before.
"What's up with Mayumi?" Mari muttered from the spectator stands, puzzled.
Sure, this was the finals, but given Mayumi's skill level, she shouldn't be wearing such an expression.
Mari wasn't the only one confused—several upperclassmen in the stands shared the same bewilderment.
Especially when Mayumi raised her CAD—the tension in her demeanor only intensified.
A silent, nervous energy gradually spread through the air, even affecting her opponent, who was vying for the championship title beside her!
"The match is about to begin."
Someone uttered those words, and the spectator stands fell into complete silence.
The three differently colored signal lights slowly lit up one by one. When the final red light flashed—
In an instant, countless targets soared into the sky with a series of brisk firing sounds.
And the moment Mayumi pulled the trigger in the next second—
Everyone was utterly stunned.
"Th-That's—!!!"
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