第１１１２堀：彼女たちの戦闘能力 (Part2)
Yes, truth be told, Wasfi’s combat style is...
"A student of the academy, fighting with their bare fists?"
"Yes. Just as Jessica says. Wasfi fights with his fists. He is technically capable of casting magic, but for some reason, he prefers to imbue his fists with it and simply beat his opponents down."
Mm, that’s exactly right. Wasfi fights exclusively with his fists. He fights with them with such relentless, repetitive intensity that it borders on the absurd.
"...Does the academy place that much emphasis on hand-to-hand combat? I heard they taught the basics, but..."
"Ah, well, now that you mention it, we do have classes for that—as a last resort for when one is disarmed, but..."
Mm, as Jessica says, classes in martial arts and physical combat do exist. But as Samantha notes, they are a last resort—a method for when one has absolutely no other options. And even then, the curriculum is limited to a single session.
"No, we don't put any real weight on it. We teach that if you're confronted by an enemy without a weapon, you should either rely on magic or flee. The combat classes teach that grappling with an enemy is practically unthinkable. Generally speaking, using magic is simply stronger. If you don't have time to chant, you should use a weapon or, if possible, run. We do make physical conditioning mandatory, so we do have them go for runs."
"The Magic Academy is surprisingly Spartan, isn't it?"
"Indeed. If your feet stop, you become a target. We train them thoroughly in that regard."
Mm. The notion that mages lack physical stamina is a lie. They possess enough strength and endurance to keep up with the rigors of adventuring and combat. It only appears low when compared to the skewed standards of warriors and heroes. In RPG terms, the surrounding benchmarks are just distorted; a mage is perfectly capable of moving effectively.
"That’s only natural. But with Wasfi’s style, wouldn't he just get sniped from a distance? Why is he ranked second?"
"Simply because he is strong."
"Mm. He uses magic to instantly reinforce his body, ignores all incoming attacks, and just keeps closing the distance until he lands a blow to the gut to end it."
"A suicide-charge type? That’s a method that relies heavily on sheer magical power."
"Yes. You could call it a brute-force approach that relies on overwhelming power. That body-reinforcement magic of his has such explosive force that I sometimes think it could even reach us."
"That much!?"
"Ria, don't worry. He can only push his physical capabilities to that extent for a few minutes at most. But in that time, he can sink anyone. You can't run. Your defenses will be pierced. Your attacks won't land."
"I see. So, offense is the best defense, then."
I think Kirika is right. I’ve never asked him directly, but I’ve always felt that was his intention.
"Wait, listening to all this, you’ve both fought Wasfi, haven't you?"
"Mm. That’s right. Before I could land a decisive blow with my magic, he’d already closed the distance and knocked me out."
"I had heard the rumors, so I erected a barrier, but he punched right through it and defeated me."
"Oh, wow. That’s incredible. Well, I suppose you wouldn't be able to step foot into the Great Forest unless you were at that level."
"That is certainly true. It makes sense that his greatest weapon is his 'fist.' I’ve heard the story from Wasfi himself, and based on the testimonies of Cleena and Samantha, it seems he spends long periods deep within the Great Forest. In such an environment, one cannot hope to properly maintain weapons. When that happens, what one must rely on is..."
"If your own fists—which require no maintenance—are your weapon, it’s quite convenient. It lightens your load, you don't need to worry about upkeep, and it doesn't cost money. All you need is food and water to survive."
Oh, I see. Indeed, Kirika and Yuki are right. I had wondered what kind of joke it was to use fists as a weapon, but when you consider long-term expeditions into uncharted territory, carrying weapons that require spare parts and constant maintenance is a logistical nightmare. If you train them well enough, your fists become a weapon that more than compensates for that.
"I understand the logic, but I still think it’s questionable to face the Great Forest without a weapon. It’s only reasonable that Principal Popuri would order him to be grounded."
Everyone nods at Samantha’s words. It is indeed strange to face danger with nothing but one's fists just because it’s convenient. Just as I was thinking that...
"What is it? Did you call for me?"
Without anyone actually calling her, Deryu appeared, saying just that. No, we were in the common room, so it’s not strange that she’d show up, but the timing was impeccable.
"Perfect timing, Deryu. Could you help me out with something tomorrow?"
"Hm? I don't mind. It’s just paperwork all day anyway."
Ah, is this the end for Wasfi? First place: Tool User. Second place: Fists. My, how straightforward. And now, how will they fare when they face Deryu?