Ascension Of The Failed Mage

Ciara stared hard at Mia, frowning and determined to take her down. Mia stared back, but with a wicked gleam in her eyes and a sadistic smile.

She was going to break Ciara.

Samuel and Serah looked at the two girls who were about to face off. They had not seen Ciara in action yet, but even if she was an Exception, it still wouldn't be enough to beat Mia.

Ciara looked in their direction, and after seeing their worried faces, she smiled.

"Don't worry about me. You should keep your distance, though," Ciara told them.

The look on her face showed Serah that she was serious.

Even though Serah didn't like that Ciara was the one defending them, and she was angry at herself for being weak, she nodded.

She got up, and supported Samuel too, they both decided to leave the current battlefield and walk to a safe distance.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mia asked, raising her hand to stop them from moving.

"[Flame Wave]" Ciara chanted, and blazing flames appeared.

The flames spread thin and burnt the space separating Mia's fingers from the escapees who were a distance from her. Her eyes instantly widened in surprise.

"Just as I thought. You use strings to control people. The thing is, threads are weak against fire. Since your threads have been spread so thin that they are nearly invisible, the effects of the fire will be even higher." Ciara declared, readying more flames.

"YOU... How dare you burn up my strings!" Mia threw a fit of rage.

"No Mia, how dare you! I'll make you regret what you've done here today, and the harm you wrought in the past as well." Ciara responded with resolve.

"It's my duty as someone who was your friend."

"Friend? Bah! You were just a toy I managed to pick at my convenience. You seemed interesting since you were an Exception, but you were also naïve. The perfect doll."

"Is that so..." Ciara sadly replied to Mia's harsh words.

"Yess! But now it's time I disciplined you."

Mia raised her second hand and directing it toward Ciara.

Ciara sighed and directed the flames which were still burning on her hands toward the invisible strings charging toward her.

Suddenly, Ciara tightened up.

Her expression morphed into shock and surprise. She couldn't move... But how?

"Oh, don't look so surprised, dear. You were right in guessing my threads were weak against fire, but that's just because I never bothered to increase the density. Those pathetic flames of yours aren't enough to burn up my strings!" Mia declared.

"I see... In that case..." Ciara muttered, increasing the tempo of her Mana.

"[Burnout]"

Immediately she was done with her, a yellow mana circle appeared, indicating the activation of a Tier 2 spell.

Suddenly, flames surrounded Ciara and freed her from the strings that bound her.

The heat and pressure of the flames caused Mia to cover her face with her hands and squint her eyes.

The flames whirled around Ciara and then finally it reduced to a tiny revolving flame on the ground, before dying out.

"Tch, I nearly forgot... You're Tier 2." Mia retorted.

"If you understand then admit defeat. You can't win this fight."

"Oh? It seems you do not understand something here... You see, I'm also Tier 2!" Mia gave with a wild laugh.

Ciara expressed shock. She had been informed that most students even in the Intermediate stage of the Foundation Class were still Tier 1. But since Mia was a Tier 2, it meant that she was one of the few geniuses in the entire Intermediate stage.

"It's too late to back out now!" Mia smiled, bringing from her pocket, two scrolls.

"[Object Summon]"

A spark of yellow appeared, and the mana circle from the rune scroll formed. Then the sparks increased, and finally, it stopped.

Appearing before Ciara were two puppets. They were identical to the one which had been damaged earlier, but these were different. Ciara could tell that each of them was more powerful and durable than the one which was on the ground.

"You may be a Tier 2, but you're still far too inexperienced and naïve. I've been in more fights than you, and I've been in this Institute longer. You stand no chance!" Mia yelled, launching her two puppets toward Ciara.

Their bodies glowed yellow, meaning they were both using Tier 2 enhancements, and they approached Ciara at full speed.

'So, my opponent is a Tier 2, she has had more experience in combat within the Institute. She also controls two Tier 2 enhanced puppets. Her puppets and string abilities are most likely due to Bloodline Magic...' Ciara analyzed internally.

The situation quite seemed dire, didn't it?

"But..." A smile formed the young girl's face.

"... If it's just this, then there's no problem!"

"[Wind Cannon]" Ciara yelled, raising her hands to the puppets.

A large gust of wind with unbelievable pressure launched toward the puppets, shattering them instantly.

"Wha—?!" Mia exclaimed in unbelief.

Mia saw what just transpired in front of her, and so did Samuel and Serah, who watched the fight from far away.

A blue mana circle had been formed, which meant the spell that was just used was...

"T-Tier 3?!" The three who witnessed the spell all shouted simultaneously.

"You've had more combat experience? Please don't joke with me. The three months I spent training with everyone... I'm sure they far outstrip all the experiences you amassed so far!" Ciara declared, surrounded by an overwhelming amount of Mana.

'Besides, I wouldn't call tying people up and torturing them experience.'

"B-but... y-you..." Mia stuttered, her legs shaking in fear.

"You, You're weak..." Ciara declared to her foe, her eyes narrowing in rising anger and disgust.

"I-I'm weak?!"

"Yeah. I'd say even Serah and Samuel were even stronger than you."

.

"Wha-? How can you put those weaklings above me? They—!!!" Mia burst in rage.

"They fought and used what they had to the fullest potential, while you just waste away and use your power for your conveniences."

The entitled girl trembled with every statement Ciara made. Her widened eyes turned bloodshot, and her lips quivered.

"In the end, when faced with a stronger opponent, you crumbled. That's why...."

'NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.' Mia's mind echoed as she watched her supposed doll make the most abominable claim.

"You're weaker than them!"