Episode 4

Mash Burnedead and the Challenging Magic User is the fourth episode of the Mashle anime.

Synopsis
It is decided that Mash will participate in "Duelo," a popular sport in the Magic Realm that uses brooms, to represent Adler Dorm. During the match, a player of the opposing team from Lang Dorm begins to widen the gap between the scores with cowardly acts such as striking last year's MVP, Tom. As Adler Dorm finds themselves in a clutch, will Mash be able to use his muscles to lead them to victory...?! Later, Mash is suddenly approached by the top exam student with two marks, the handsome Lance...!

Summary
Sine he can't fly, Mash simply stands still on the ground. Tom comes telling him that he promised to be number one, but Mash denies it. Tom then states he lacks bamboo, and explains that bamboo is strong and can survive any climate. Tom then realizes he forgot to tell him the Duelo game rules. They are fighting over the control of the ball midair and pass it through a ring for points. They are forbidden form using magic and its all about broom technique. Before returning to his team, Tom explains that he put everything on Duelo, which is why he recruited Mash.

Tom flies up, but another player crashes into him, acting it was an accident and making Tom fall to the ground. Tom has broken a bone and asks the player where is his sportsmanship, however the player doesn't care about that, but only for the win. Lang dorm has taken a good lead of 40 points over Adler dorm. Tom tells Mash that winning isn't important, but that they give it their all. Since they are 6 players versus 4, Lang continues to increase their lead to 50 points.

Mash gets annoyed and takes his broom. He then jumps and floats in the air, surprising everyone that he can fly, but in reality, he is just moving his legs fast to stay in the air. He requests the ball and as he gets it, people wonder what he will do it with from such a large distance. Mash then makes a powerful throw and scores. The ball then spins and returns back to Mash. He continues to throw it, again and again, scoring 999 points versus Lang's 60 points, and wins the game for Adler. Mash and the team receive a silver coin. After the game, Tom hugs Mash, telling him that he is grew up to be a strong bamboo and is happy.

The next day, Tom comes to pick up Mash for Duelo practice. Lemon also comes, wanting to study with Mash. However, Mash doesn't want to do anything with them and asks Finn for help, but he acts asleep. Lance Crown shows up, stating that it seem Mash is having fun and wonders if he can join. Lemon recognizes him as the student who ranked first at the entrance exam. Mash states he isn't having fun and Lance then suggest they do something that is fun. Lance then takes out an ancient bottle, stating its a special magical tool. As he opens it, Tom, Lemon and Finn are sucked and trapped inside the bottle. He then tells Mash that if he wants them back, he should come to the forest next to the owl hut, and teleports away.

Mash finds Lance in the forest. Lance guesses that Mash is after the coins and shows that he has two silver coins. Tom is surprised as he thought that only select number of upperclassmen had them. Seeing that Lance has two lines of his face, Tom guesses he is bad news. Majority of the people in the world are single-line magic users. However, there are rare exceptions with more lines. The double-line magic users are one in 100,000, and are considered to be chosen by magic itself. Lance tells Mash that they will bet each other's silver coin in a match. Lance knows that having Mash's friends is in his favor, although he doesn't need a handicap. During the exam, Lance decided that Mash was too soft and prioritized someone else over his own goals. Lance is sure he can't lose to someone like that. Mash agrees and Lance then uses Graviole, to clear the area. Regro and Brad were nearby and heard the noise that Lance's magic made.

Mash attempts to punch Lance, however he uses Graviole again, pinning Mash to the ground and wondering if he is seriously trying to beat him without using magic. Mash attempts to stand up, but as he is struggles to get out, Lance tells him he won't be able to. However, Mash states he can do enough without standing. He then punches the ground and pulls out long roots, forcing Lance stop his magic and jump backward. Mash then attempts to punch Lance again, who again uses Graviole, however Mash manages to withstand it and proceeds with the punch. Lance dodges it, but is surprised that Mash is now faster. Mash attempts to punch him again, but as Lance dodges, he only manages to knock off his pendant. Checking it, Mash sees a picture of a young girl and assumes that Lance is a lolicon. Lance denies it and explains that he has a sister complex, and asks for his pendant back, which Mash returns, although he notes that isn't much better either.

Lance asks Mash what is the most important thing in the world. After thinking for few seconds, Mash tries to say cream puffs, but Lance interrupts him, stating he is wrong. Mash then guesses human life, love, freedom, but Lance keeps telling him he is wrong and gets annoyed that he can't states the obvious answer. Mash then asks him the same question and Lance states that the most important thing in the world is his little sister, however Mash states that people seem to have different priorities.

Lance heads to a cliff and prepares to drop the bottle, noting that he will speed its fall with his magic. Mash will attempt to save it, but Lance will then attack him. Lance is ready to be demonic to his sister's sake. Lance recalls how his sister scolds him for getting in another fight, although he denies it. She states that he is a bad liar and tells him to sit so she can heal him with her magic. She heard that he saved a kid from being bullied and guesses that's why they beat him. However, she loves how kind he is, even though he is clumsy. One day, Anna got an incurable disease that will strip her of her mark and magical power, and has no more than five years. Their parents state that if this happens, they will have to turn her to the government. Lance is angry at his parents and decides to become a Divine Visionary to fix the rotten system and save his sister.

Lance drops the bottle and uses Graviole. He then wonders what Mash will do, but sees that he had taken some of his clothes off. Mash then uses Hamstring Magic, which is a spell Lance has never heard off before. Mash then "casts" Big Bang Dash, noting that the choice of losing and the choice of not rescuing, doesn't exist for him. He then runs down the hill and returns in few seconds holding the bottle. Lance can't believe it and wonders if he is using physical enhancement magic. Mash then states he thinks they should stop and not fight, as Lance doesn't feel like a bad guy, since the bottle is fake and its empty. Mash then quickly approaches Lance and searches him, finding the real bottle. Lance wonders why he wants them to stop as he can win silver coins, and Mash explains that he is too clumsy to make rational decisions about everything. Lance is reminded of his sister's words and agrees that they stop. He leaves, but states that he did made a bet with him and gives Mash a silver coin. Mash then releases Tom, Lemon and Finn, but as they annoy him, he regrets not doing it after he returns to the academy.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Finn Ames
 * Lemon Irvine
 * Mash Burnedead
 * Tom Knowles
 * Lance Crown
 * Regro Burnedead
 * Brad Coleman
 * Anna Crown

Manga & Anime Differences

 * In the Anime, Finn and Lemon watch the Duelo game. In the Manga, this doesn't happen.
 * In the Anime, Regro and Brad are shown in the area when Mash and Lance are fighting. In the Manga, they are not there.