E9 - The Strongest Sage Duels

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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:02] Iris
    Are we searching for
    where the demons' leader is hiding now?
[00:06] Matt
    Yeah.
[00:07] Lurie
    But how do we do it?
[00:09] Matt
    The enemy thought he could cut off
    our ability to find him
[00:12] Matt
    by destroying the relay in Elenia.
[00:14] Matt
    But the transmission spell still carried a trace
    of the caster's magic signature.
[00:19] Matt
    I've recorded that signature here.
[00:22] Alma
    In a magistone?
    It can do that, too?
[00:24] Matt
    Yeah.
[00:25] Matt
    And there's a device that enables the user
    to trace an enemy through a magistone.
[00:29] Matt
    If we go to it, we can use it
    to pinpoint his location.
[00:32] Lurie
    I've never heard of such a device.
[00:35] Matt
    Of course you haven't.
    It's from thousands of years ago.
[00:39] Alma
    Thousands of years ago?!
[00:41] Lurie
    But you know how to use it?
[00:45] Alma
    How?
[00:46] Matt
    Because—
[00:48] Matt
    Well, I just kind of stumbled into it.
[00:51] Matt
    That was close.
[00:52] Matt
    I almost told them I created it!
[00:55] Alma
    So, where is this device?
[00:58] Matt
    Here.
[00:59] Alma
    The Radinia Alliance?
[01:01] Matt
    Getting the king's help
    will make crossing the border smoother.
[01:06] Matt
    If we ask the headmaster,
    I'm sure he'll probably mediate for us.
[01:09] Lurie
    The king and the headmaster
    are quite friendly, aren't they?
[01:14] Matt
    For now, let's get back to the capital.
[01:19] Iris
    Hey! I'm still eating!
SIGN    Episode 9
SIGN    The Strongest Sage Duels.
[02:59] Alma
    We're back!
[03:01] Lurie
    It's been only a few days,
    but it feels as if we've been gone forever!
[03:04] Alma
    I hope everyone in Second Academy
    is all right.
[03:08] Iris
    The school's gone...
[03:10] Alma & Iris & Lurie & Matt
    Huh?!
[03:14] Lurie
    This is where Second Academy was, isn't it?
[03:16] Alma
    Of course it is!
[03:18] Matt
    What in the world happened?
[03:21] Matt
    "New Second Academy building,
    under construction"?
[03:26] Matt
    Headmaster!
[03:27] Eduard
    Hey there, Matthias!
[03:30] Eduard
    You're all back, eh?
[03:32] Iris
    We beat up the demon
    in the dungeon city!
[03:35] Eduard
    Indeed you did. Excellent work!
[03:38] Matt
    But what's going on here?
[03:40] Eduard
    As you can see, we're rebuilding the academy
    from the ground up.
[03:44] Eduard
    We're making the walls thicker
    and erecting a barrier to withstand demon attack.
[03:49] Matt
    More of a fortress, then?
[03:51] Lurie
    Where will they hold the classes?
[03:53] Eduard
    First Academy.
[03:55] Eduard
    Their students are helping
    with the construction as well.
[03:59] Eduard
    And it'll be good casting practice for them.
[04:03] Eduard
    Good idea, don't you agree?
[04:07] Matt
    There was another demon pulling the strings
    in the dungeon city.
[04:12] Matt
    In order to find him,
    I need to cross the border.
[04:15] Eduard
    I see. The border with whom?
[04:19] Matt
    The Radinia Alliance.
[04:21] Eduard
    That's a group of allied nations.
[04:24] Eduard
    Unfortunately, not all the nations are friendly.
[04:27] Matt
    Would the king be willing to help?
[04:30] Eduard
    Yes.
[04:31] Eduard
    I'll make a recommendation
    to seek their Guild's cooperation.
[04:35] Matt
    Thank you.
[04:37] Eduard
    Given that there are demons involved,
    I'm sure he'll make it his top priority.
[04:40] Matt
    While we wait for leave to travel,
    we'll help with the construction here.
[04:44] Eduard
    You will?
[04:46] Matt
    You don't mind, do you?
[04:47] Alma & Lurie
    Of course not!
[04:48] Eduard
    We'd appreciate the help.
[04:50] Iris
    I wanna help, too!
[04:56] Matt
    The pillars will be tougher
    if you use a mithril alloy instead of iron.
[05:00] Eduard
    I see!
[05:02] Lurie
    Enchanting the building materials
    will make things more efficient!
[05:08] Iris
    Here I go!
[05:11] Matt
    Hey, Iris!
    Don't bite off more than you can chew!
[05:14] Iris
    I won't!
[05:23] Matt
    Yeah, thought so.
[05:27] Eduard
    The king's granted permission.
[05:30] Eduard
    This contains your border-crossing permit
[05:31] Eduard
    and the king's voucher
    for the Radinia Alliance.
[05:34] Matt
    I appreciate this.
[05:35] Eduard
    We can't let the demons
    have free rein any longer.
[05:40] Eduard
    Get to it.
[05:41] Matt
    We will.
[05:43] Lurie
    This is my first time
    leaving the Eis Kingdom!
[05:47] Alma
    What do you think
    the Radinia Alliance is like?
[05:49] Iris
    I hope they've got tasty food!
[05:53] Guard
    Take care!
[05:55] Lurie
    Having His Majesty's recommendation
    let us pass right through!
[05:59] Matt
    The Radinia Alliance is just ahead.
[06:02] Alma
    We're almost at our destination!
[06:05] Matt
    But now the problems start.
[06:08] Lurie
    A restricted region?
[06:10] Matt
    Entry to the region containing the device
    is heavily restricted.
[06:15] Matt
    The magic signature there
    is likely so strong
[06:16] Matt
    that they're afraid
    a magical calamity will occur.
[06:20] Lurie
    Does that mean we can't get closer?
[06:23] Alma
    What do we do?
[06:24] Matt
    According to the information
    the headmaster gave us,
[06:27] Matt
    the only way is to increase
    our adventurer rank.
[06:30] Matt
    We need to be Rank A
    to enter a restricted region.
[06:34] Alma
    How do we increase our rank?
[06:37] Matt
    We head for the Radinia Adventurers' Guild
[06:39] Matt
    and complete the ranking test.
[06:41] Alma
    What? But we have a voucher from the king!
[06:44] Matt
    Yes, but we also have
    to follow the Guild's rules.
[06:48] Lurie
    But won't passing their tests
    take a whole lot of time?
[06:53] Matt
    If they force our hand,
    we'll have other ways to proceed.
[06:55] Alma
    Like what?
[06:57] Matt
    A darkness dragon appearing
    above a restricted region
[07:00] Matt
    would cause quite a panic, wouldn't it?
[07:02] Matt
    We'd use that as a distraction
    to reach our destination.
[07:05] Iris
    Hey, I forgot I could turn into a dragon.
[07:08] Alma
    You have it backwards!
[07:09] Alma
    You're a dragon
    who's turned into a human!
[07:19] Alma
    Wow, it's so different from the capital!
[07:23] Matt
    Let's hit up the Adventurers' Guild first.
[07:27] Branch Chief
    Well, well!
[07:29] Branch Chief
    Welcome!
[07:30] Branch Chief
    So you're the Matthias party
    I've heard so much about.
[07:34] Matt
    You've heard of us?
[07:35] Branch Chief
    The king of the Eis Kingdom
    asked our Guild for help.
[07:40] Branch Chief
    He's urging international cooperation,
[07:43] Branch Chief
    now that the demons
    are growing more active.
[07:45] Alma
    That's our king!
[07:47] Branch Chief
    I'm happy to help you
    as much as I can.
[07:50] Matt
    Much appreciated.
[07:52] Branch Chief
    And you say you want
    to enter the restricted zone?
[07:55] Matt
    Yes.
[07:56] Matt
    So I'd like to reach Rank A
    as soon as I can.
[08:00] Matt
    Can I take the ascension test?
[08:02] Branch Chief
    Of course you can.
[08:03] Branch Chief
    I'd normally require you to start at Rank G,
    the lowest level there is.
[08:08] Branch Chief
    But I'll let you skip right
    to the Rank A test.
[08:12] Branch Chief
    I'm afraid that's the best
    we can offer you.
[08:15] Matt
    Understood.
[08:16] Lurie
    But will we be all right,
    going right to the Rank A test?
[08:22] Matt
    What exactly does the test consist of?
[08:24] Branch Chief
    A mock battle with a prearranged proctor.
[08:28] Branch Chief
    He should be arriving any time now.
[08:34] Giluas
    Did I keep you waitin'?
[08:36] Branch Chief
    Giluas! What are you doing here?!
[08:39] Giluas
    I'm the proctor for their ascension test.
[08:43] Branch Chief
    Y-You can't...!
[08:45] Matt
    He has a powerful magical signature.
[08:47] Matt
    High enough that I might suspect
    he was a demon,
[08:51] Matt
    but he's definitely human...
[08:54] Matt
    Who is this man?
[08:55] Branch Chief
    You haven't heard?
[08:57] Matt
    Have any of you?
[08:58] Alma & Iris & Lurie
    No...
[09:00] Matt
    Is he famous in your lands?
[09:02] Branch Chief
    He's a Rank S adventurer!
[09:05] Matt
    "Rank S"?
[09:06] Branch Chief
    Fighting is basically all he thinks about.
[09:10] Matt
    Your average battle maniac, then?
[09:13] Giluas
    Branch Chief!
[09:15] Giluas
    You oughta know by now
    that I'm the real deal!
[09:17] Branch Chief
    But you're not the one I called for!
[09:21] Branch Chief
    What are you doing here?!
[09:23] Giluas
    The proctor you asked for ran off,
    bitchin' about some stomachache.
[09:28] Branch Chief
    What?!
[09:29] Giluas
    So I'm bein' real generous
    and offerin' to stand in.
[09:35] Matt
    I don't mind.
[09:37] Matt
    Let's begin the test.
[09:38] Branch Chief
    But no one's ever passed a test
    run by Giluas!
[09:43] Alma
    Really?!
[09:44] Branch Chief
    He's failed every previous applicant
    without even fighting them.
[09:49] Iris
    Hey, that's mean!
[09:51] Giluas
    Shaddap!
[09:52] Giluas
    It's 'cause they were all trash,
    not even worth fightin'!
[09:57] Giluas
    I got time only for the real strong guys.
[10:03] Matt
    Intriguing.
[10:09] Giluas
    You first!
[10:11] Giluas
    And you!
[10:13] Giluas
    And you!
[10:14] Iris
    Yes?
[10:16] Giluas
    You all pass.
[10:19] Giluas
    That's it for the test.
    You can head on home.
[10:21] Matt
    What in the world?
[10:23] Giluas
    Now, you...
[10:25] Giluas
    You'll fight me.
[10:28] Giluas
    One on one.
[10:30] Giluas
    I've heard about you, Matthias.
[10:32] Giluas
    You're the heroic demon-slayer
    from the Kingdom of Eis.
[10:36] Matt
    I see. He just wanted
    to fight me from the start.
[10:40] Matt
    I suppose you're on.
[10:43] Judge
    We will now commence
    the Rank A ascension exam!
[10:47] Judge
    The proctor, Giluas,
    will evaluate Matthias's skills in a mock battle!
[10:52] Giluas
    Been a while since I got
    to fight someone real strong.
[10:55] Giluas
    Can't wait to show my stuff!
[10:57] Matt
    Let's see what a Rank S fighter can do.
[11:01] Alma
    He'll be okay, right?
[11:03] Lurie
    It's hard to imagine
    Matty ever losing, but...
[11:07] Branch Chief
    Giluas is a combat prodigy.
[11:10] Branch Chief
    It's said he's never lost a duel.
[11:14] Alma
    He's that good?
[11:16] Matt
    What are our rules here?
[11:17] Giluas
    Match is over when one of us
    gets knocked out or gives up.
[11:22] Matt
    Very well.
[11:23] Giluas
    I don't use magic,
    but you can if you want.
[11:29] Matt
    You don't use magic?
[11:31] Matt
    Given his magical signature,
    I'd pegged him as a spellsword like me.
[11:36] Matt
    Are you holding back on me?
[11:39] Giluas
    'Course not.
[11:41] Giluas
    This ain't some handicap
    I'm givin' you.
[11:43] Giluas
    I just never use magic.
[11:46] Matt
    What's that?
[11:46] Giluas
    This is all I use!
[11:51] Matt
    This feeling...
[11:52] Matt
    A physique enhancement spell...
[11:55] Matt
    But I don't think Giluas is lying.
[11:59] Matt
    I'm ready.
[12:01] Matt
    Come at me any time!
[12:02] Giluas
    Don't mind if I do!
[12:06] Matt
    Enhance Physique!
[12:11] Matt
    He's definitely using
    an Enhance Physique spell.
[12:14] Matt
    But he doesn't even realize
    he's casting it.
[12:19] Matt
    Is he just using it instinctively?!
[12:21] Giluas
    Just what I'd expect
    from the heroic demon-slayer!
[12:26] Giluas
    An attack like that
    don't even faze you, huh?!
[12:31] Giluas
    Looks like this'll be a pretty fun fight!
[12:36] Matt
    He's mixing in other enhancement spells
    like Enhance Fortitude and Sunder Steel.
[12:44] Matt
    Most humans can't cast spells unconsciously.
[12:48] Matt
    Yet he's doing it perfectly,
    without a moment's thought...
[12:52] Matt
    Incredible.
[12:56] Alma
    Awesome!
    He's matching Matty blow for blow!
[13:00] Lurie
    He really is!
[13:01] Branch Chief
    I never thought I'd find a man
    on equal footing with Giluas...
[13:06] Giluas
    Hey, you ain't holdin' back, are you?!
[13:10] Matt
    Good instincts.
[13:12] Matt
    Yes, I certainly am.
[13:14] Giluas
    Oh, yeah?
[13:15] Giluas
    Well knock it off already!
[13:17] Matt
    If you want to see what I can really do,
[13:19] Matt
    I'll show you!
[13:28] Giluas
    Sounds good to me!
[13:30] Giluas
    I'll make you get serious!
[13:31] Matt
    Giluas's magic power is growing stronger?!
[13:34] Matt
    His casting is improving even as we fight.
[13:38] Matt
    His instincts are incredible.
[13:40] Giluas
    I ain't never fought anyone
[13:42] Giluas
    who got my heart racing like this before!
[13:46] Matt
    I'll bet he's never fought anyone
    better than him.
[13:51] Matt
    Now that he's hitting a wall,
    it's increasing his combat instincts.
[13:58] Matt
    It's the height of foolishness
    to leap that high without magical enhancement.
[14:01] Matt
    He's just making himself vulnerable
    until he lands.
[14:06] Giluas
    Watch this!
[14:11] Lurie
    Is that...
[14:12] Alma
    He's fighting the way Matty does!
[14:14] Matt
    He learned how I fight...
[14:17] Matt
    After seeing only it once...
[14:20] Matt
    He adapts that quickly?
[14:23] Giluas
    Here we go!
[14:29] Giluas
    How'd you like that?!
[14:39] Matt
    A strike combining Enhance Physique
    and the gravity of a long fall...
[14:44] Matt
    An ideal fighting style if you want
    to force your way past the opponent's guard.
[14:48] Matt
    But your casting strength
    is entirely insufficient.
[14:52] Giluas
    What'd you say?
[14:54] Giluas
    That was the best attack I can—
[15:13] Matt
    Want to keep going?
[15:18] Giluas
    I give.
[15:22] Judge
    The winner is Matthias!
    He passes!
[15:25] Alma & Lurie
    Yeah!
[15:27] Iris
    Is that a successful dispatch?
[15:30] Alma
    He didn't dispatch anyone!
[15:33] Giluas
    That's the first time I ever lost.
[15:36] Matt
    But your skills are incredible.
[15:39] Giluas
    Tell me!
    How do I get as strong as you?!
[15:44] Matt
    That's a good question...
[15:47] Matt
    Read this.
[15:50] Lurie
    Matty. What's that?
[15:52] Matt
    It's a textbook I wrote.
[15:54] Giluas
    A textbook?
[15:56] Alma
    You wrote one of those?
[15:57] Matt
    What you lack is knowledge
    of spell casting.
[16:01] Matt
    You might surpass me
    if you put in the work,
[16:04] Matt
    but you have the talent, either way.
[16:08] Giluas
    You makin' fun of me?
[16:10] Matt
    I'm completely serious.
[16:12] Matt
    If you internalize
    what's written in that book,
[16:15] Matt
    you'll definitely grow stronger.
[16:17] Giluas
    And spell castin' is supposed
    to help me out in combat?
[16:20] Matt
    It certainly will.
[16:22] Giluas
    But chantin' spells leaves a guy
    open for ages.
[16:26] Giluas
    You didn't cast any, either.
[16:28] Matt
    But I did!
[16:30] Matt
    You don't need incantations to cast spells.
[16:34] Giluas
    Really?
[16:36] Matt
    You're actually casting spells unconsciously.
[16:38] Matt
    To enhance your physique and such.
[16:40] Giluas
    I am?
[16:42] Matt
    If you start to do it consciously,
    you can get even stronger.
[16:46] Giluas
    Awright!
    I'm gonna read the heck outta this!
[16:54] Giluas
    It ain't stickin', man!
[16:57] Giluas
    You got a spell to make me
    better at readin'?
[17:01] Giluas
    Tryin' to read
    gives me a big damn headache.
[17:05] Matt
    The healing spell on page 132
    works well on headaches.
[17:18] Giluas
    You really ain't gonna go for Rank S?
[17:22] Matt
    I'll pass.
[17:23] Giluas
    Shame.
[17:25] Giluas
    You could be the strongest
    in the land, for sure.
[17:28] Matt
    We just needed Rank A
    to enter restricted territory.
[17:34] Giluas
    What restricted territory?
[17:35] Matt
    The Etelis Plains in the Folkia Region.
[17:39] Giluas
    Folkia, huh?
[17:41] Matt
    Does that mean something to you?
[17:43] Giluas
    Nah, I just hear
    the city's got a weird vibe.
[17:46] Matt
    What do you mean?
[17:48] Giluas
    I hear the atmosphere there
     has changed a lot lately.
[17:51] Giluas
    Checkpoints along the nearby roads
    have grown stricter all of a sudden, too.
[17:56] Giluas
    And I hear parties have gone missing
    on the way there.
[18:01] Giluas
    So if crap goes down, just lemme know!
[18:04] Giluas
    I'll help out.
[18:06] Matt
    I appreciate that.
[18:12] Lurie
    Is this one of the checkpoints
    he mentioned?
[18:14] Alma
    Seems pretty normal to me, but...
[18:18] Soldier A
    Halt. Papers, please.
[18:22] Soldier B
    Where are you headed?
[18:24] Matt
    I'm here on adventurer work.
[18:27] Soldier B
    Each of you, take one of these passes.
[18:31] Soldier B
    They're valid only for the main road,
    though, so be careful.
[18:34] Matt
    Understood.
[18:38] Alma
    That was easier than I expected!
[18:40] Lurie
    I don't know why we were so nervous!
[18:42] Iris
    I wanna hit that city fast.
[18:45] Matt
    No, there's still trouble ahead.
[18:49] Matt
    There's a magical code
    inscribed in these passes.
[18:53] Alma & Iris & Lurie
    "A code"?!
[18:57] Lurie
    "Caution.
    Party of four high-rank adventurers."
[19:02] Alma
    "Motives questionable.
    Deal with immediately"?!
[19:05] Iris
    What do they mean by "deal with"?
[19:06] Matt
    The content doesn't matter.
[19:08] Matt
    What matters is that the coding technology
    is the same as the one the demons use.
[19:14] Alma & Iris & Lurie
    What?!
[19:15] Lurie
    But those guards weren't demons, were they?
[19:19] Matt
    No, they were human.
[19:21] Matt
    But to set up checkpoints,
    you need to hold local power.
[19:26] Lurie
    Then if the checkpoint
    is using demon coding technology...
[19:31] Alma
    All of Folkia might be
    under the demons' control?!
[19:35] Matt
    It seems entirely possible.
[19:38] Matt
    Look.
[19:39] Matt
    We have visitors already.
[19:41] Matt
    Probably someone's hired goons...
[19:45] Matt
    They're out to finish us off
    before we reach the city.
[19:49] Matt
    And Giluas mentioned parties going missing.
[19:53] Matt
    I suppose this is what he meant.
[19:55] Iris
    You want us to stamp 'em out?
[19:57] Matt
    No, that wouldn't be good.
[20:00] Matt
    We'll put them all to sleep instead.
[20:02] Alma
    To sleep?
[20:03] Iris
    We can't just beat them?
[20:05] Matt
    If they put up a fight
    and raise a commotion,
[20:07] Matt
    it could make
    infiltrating the city harder.
[20:09] Matt
    Iris and I will draw their attention.
[20:12] Matt
    Lurie, Alma.
[20:14] Matt
    Get around behind them
[20:16] Matt
    and use this magic item
    to put them to sleep.
[20:18] Lurie
    Understood!
[20:19] Alma
    We will!
[20:23] Lurie
    What are these?
[20:25] Matt
    I used a spell to create illusions.
[20:28] Matt
    From a distance,
    they should look convincing enough.
[20:31] Matt
    All right, let's begin!
[20:35] Matt
    We're under attack! Be careful!
[20:39] Sideburns
    Looks like they saw us.
[20:41] Blond Archer
    Better get started.
[20:43] Sideburns
    Get 'em!
[20:44] All
    Yeah!
[20:47] Matt
    Now, let's have a bit of fun!
[20:50] Iris
    That's what I like to hear!
[20:54] Iris
    Ow!
[20:55] Iris
    Ow, ow, ow!
[20:56] Sideburns
    The arrows don't hurt her?
[20:58] Sideburns
    What's going on here?!
[20:59] Iris
    Darn you...
[21:01] Iris
    This is so annoying!
[21:07] Iris
    Why did you do that?
[21:09] Matt
    If you run in,
    someone's definitely going to die!
[21:12] Iris
    Oh, right.
    We're just putting them to sleep.
[21:18] Alma
    Great! They haven't noticed us!
[21:20] Lurie
    Let's activate the magic item now!
[21:29] Sideburns
    Wh-What the...
[21:30] Brown scarf
    Damn! I can't see anything!
[21:33] Mustache Beret
    Gettin'... sleepy...
[21:38] Matt
    That was perfect.
[21:42] Iris
    He's fast asleep, huh?
[21:44] Matt
    Where are Lurie and Alma?
[21:46] Iris
    Good question.
[21:52] Matt
    They're asleep.
[23:26] Lurie
    This is Matty's handwritten textbook?
[23:29] Iris
    Let me see!
[23:31] Alma
    It's good to be studious!
[23:35] Matt
    Sh-She's asleep...
[23:36] Lurie
    She just wanted it for a pillow?
SIGN    Episode 10  The Strongest Sage Works With a Team.