The S-Class Mage is a Gyaru!?-Chapter 87: Arcane Jungle, Part Fourteen

{Akari}

[Well... Nothing says ’important meeting’ like a bunch of wet hot people in swimsuits.]

The Grand Arcane’s main ballroom is basically what would happen if you gave a magical interior designer unlimited budget and told them to go absolutely feral. Crystal chandeliers that float and rearrange themselves depending on the room’s "energy." Marble floors with spell circles that pulse in time with everyone’s magical signatures.

It’s all pretty high-end stuff.

Plus, they’ve set up these floating platforms as makeshift bleachers, which is cool as fuck until you realize you’re basically putting a bunch of half-naked, soaking-wet students on expensive-looking cushions.

[Heh, maybe we should have gone in the pool *after* this little meeting.]

"Scoot," I tell Haruka, who’s sprawled across an entire row like it’s her personal couch. She’s still got Nao trapped next to her, the tiger girl trying real hard to look anywhere but at Haruka’s tits.

[God, they’re so fucking obvious.]

Yeah, I’ve seen the script, these two are going to be fucking before this trip is over. It feels like Haruka knows that. It doesn’t seem like Nao knows that just yet, though.

"Make me," Haruka grins, but she moves anyway, pulling Nao with her. Girl’s got it BAD.

I plop down just as Svetlana and her crew from the Russian Academy settle into the row in front of us. Her swimsuit’s probably worth more than my apartment, but my tits look better in this bikini so who’s really winning here?

"Oh! Nakamura-chan, I forgot to say... Nice suit," she says without turning around. "Very... gyaru."

"Thanks babe! Love yours too - really brings out the stick up your ass!"

Reina, settling in beside me with way more grace than anyone in a swimsuit has any right to have, actually snorts. The Russian menace over here walks away with a huff.

The various professors start filing in. Unlike their students, these guys are all in suits, dresses, robes and whatever the hell else. Reina catches me staring at some of them.

"See something you like?" she whispers, and I swear there’s a hint of... something in her voice.

Is that...

Jealousy?

"Maybe," I respond with a grin, making sure to resist the urge to look back at her. I keep my eyes on the professors instead.

"... Mm." Reina makes that little sound and, out of the corner of my eye, I see her look away.

[Love games, love games~]

"ATTENTION, STUDENTS!"

That’s Professor Chen talking. Everyone shuts up as Chen steps onto a floating platform in the center of the room. Her usual severe bun’s a bit frizzed from the pool, which somehow makes her even more terrifying.

I figure the reason they agreed to have her speak is cause her voice is so shrill there’s no chance anyone doesn’t hear it (unfortunately).

"Welcome to the 47th International Magical Exhibition!" She surveys us all with that look that makes you feel like you forgot to do homework you didn’t even know about. "Over the next week, you’ll be competing in various challenges designed to test not just your magical abilities, but your capacity to represent your schools on the international stage."

I narrow my eyes.

[Is she looking at me? She’s totally looking at me.]

"The exhibition," Chen continues, still definitely staring at me, "will consist of several events designed to showcase different aspects of magical mastery."

[Translation: Ways I can embarrass the school. Challenge accepted, bitch.]

"First," she gestures to the literally-glowing Singapore professor, "traditional duels."

Professor Hot Stuff over there steps forward, and even her voice sparkles somehow.

"Day 1, you’ll be paired against students of similar power levels for one-on-one magical combat. S-Class participants..." Her eyes drift between me and Svetlana. "Will have their own bracket."

[Guess I know who I’m rail- I mean, fighting first.]

"Next," the British professor stands up straight, "day 2, team challenges! Groups of four will face various magical obstacles, requiring cooperation and strategy."

"And fashion sense, naturally," I mutter, making Reina hide a smile behind her hand.

"Additionally," a tall French woman takes center stage, "ze puzzle rooms! On day 3, teams must solve magical mysteries and overcome enchanted traps. Success requires both intelligence and discretion."

"Of course," Zhang steps up, "the formal dinners! These will be daily, and we hope they will act as a sort of... tension reliever after all the competing is done. We know some of you care more about networking than showing off your magic, don’t worry. So, you’ll get to mingle with each other on a larger scale at the end of each day. Also, do note that day 4 is a day off."

Behind me, I hear Haruka whisper to Nao:

"Bet you ten thousand yen someone starts a food fight tonight."

"Yeah, probably you," Nao whispers back.

"This dinner will not be the only social event, though. Just the largest," Chen’s voice rings out, "there will be various pool parties, game nights, and other chances to interact with your international peers. Make the most of it, everyone. But, do remember," she continues, "everything you do reflects on your school. Some of you..." Another look at me. "Have already developed certain... reputations."

[What, just because I uploaded a few videos of me railing-]

"Questions?" Zhang interrupts my thoughts.

Svetlana’s hand shoots up.

"For S-Class duels, are we permitted to use full power?"

"Within reason," Singapore Hot Stuff nods. "We’ll go over the rules tomorrow."

[Well, alright then.]

"Any other questions?" Chen looks around. "No? Then you’re dismissed. Dinner is at seven, then."

As everyone starts filing out, I catch Svetlana giving me that look again.

"May the best mage win, yes?" She smirks.

"Oh honey," I blow her a kiss, "I intend to."

---

{Nao}

Everyone files out of the ballroom like they’re leaving a nightclub. Lots of pushing, giggling, and "accidental" touching. I hang back, watching them go.

"..."

It’s a bit hard to move right now. Not because I’ve got a hard-on, like back in the pool, no. But, because...

[How many hours did I spend in that gym?]

The floating platforms start arranging themselves back into their normal positions, spell circles pulsing beneath them. Somewhere in the distance, I hear Akari’s laugh echo through the halls, followed by what sounds like Svetlana saying something snippy in Russian.

I sigh, my head hanging a little.

[How many nights did I practice the same basic spells over and over?]

The gym at my old school wasn’t anything special. Just a concrete box with some training dummies and ward circles. But I practically lived there. Morning, noon, night - didn’t matter. While other kids were out having fun or whatever, I was there.

Practicing.

Again.

And again.

And now... Can I do it? Can I show I belong with the other mages, here?

I’m not so sure.

"Yooooo! Why you brooding so hard, tiger?"

[... Of fucking course.]

Haruka’s suddenly there, all tits and sunshine, draping herself over my shoulders like some kind of oversexed scarf.

"Not brooding," I grunt. I literally have to fight to keep my tail from wrapping around her. Feynal instincts, it happens when you’re with someone you-

"Uh huh." She pokes my cheek. "That’s why you’re sitting here looking like someone kicked your favorite scratching post?"

"I don’t have a-" I stop. "Whatever."

She spins around to face me, and I swear, I swear her swimsuit’s somehow gotten even smaller. How is that possible? Did it shrink in the pool?

"Come ooon!" She grabs my hands, pulling me up. "Everyone’s heading back to the pool! Marcus is gonna do his rain abs trick!"

"Shouldn’t we be... I don’t know, preparing or something?"

"For what?" She starts dragging me toward the door. "First round’s not till tomorrow! Tonight’s for fun!"

I look back at her, one brow arched up high.

"How are you not nervous?" The words slip out before I can stop them. "I mean, these people are-"

"Hot as fuck?" She grins over her shoulder. "Grade A snacks? Making me question my loyalty to Japanese dick?"

"... I was gonna say talented," I respond slowly.

"That too!" She squeezes my hands. "But you know what else they are?"

"What?"

She stops suddenly, spinning to face me. We’re so close I can count her eyelashes, see the little flecks of gold in those blue contacts.

"Not half as sexy as you when you’re focused." Her voice drops like eight octaves.

[... What.]

"Forreal," her voice goes back to normal. "The way your ears get all perky when you’re casting?" She runs a finger along one of said ears. "Makes me wanna do things that would definitely get us expelled."

My whole body feels like it’s on fire.

"You can’t just- that’s not-"

"Anyway, come on," she keeps pulling at me. "Let’s go! I don’t wanna miss anything!"

And somehow, just like that, I’m not thinking about the gym anymore. I’m not thinking about anything except how her hand feels in mine and how her ass looks when she walks.

"Ooh, ooh! If we hurry, we can catch Marcus making it rain! And then maybe..." She winks. "You can show me some of those sexy fighting moves in private?"

"In your dreams..." I mutter back.