Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 59

“Can’t we just leave them? We’re gonna be in danger, like, ninety percent chance!” Asan said, his voice tight with worry.

At those words, students from both the Black Tortoise Tower and the Azure Dragon Tower stared at Asan, shocked.

How could he say such a thing?

A student from Azure Dragon Tower frowned. “Hey, hold on. Okay, maybe the White Tiger guys… but what about the priests? We can’t just ditch the priests.”

“Yeah, that’s cold, man,” another student muttered, shaking his head. “How can you even think like that?”

Lee Han felt a little guilty hearing them. He’d been thinking the same thing as Asan, deep down.

“Too late to argue now! Forget leaving anyone behind! Everyone, scatter! Now!” Nilia yelled, her voice sharp and urgent.

Having faced dangerous monsters in the mountains several times, Nilia knew this kind of situation well.

Simply running away with a monster like that chasing behind was even more dangerous.

They had to scatter, buy some time, and then escape carefully.

Rowena asked urgently as she ran.

“Can you use that Yumidihus’s Water Orb spell you used earlier again?”

“What? I don’t know what that is, but I can’t use it now! Just get everyone to safety!”

As he answered, Lee Han belatedly remembered who Yumidihus was.

He was a famous imperial wizard who had created many water-attribute spells.

But whatever the case, he couldn’t use it right now. It had taken him several minutes to complete it earlier, hadn’t it?

And the mud golem was charging at them…

“I hide in the night!”

Lee Han chanted. Lee Han’s body disappeared into the rain.

He had already confirmed that the mud golem located enemies visually.

‘It’s a waste, but…’

Approaching the mud golem, Lee Han took out a smoke screen chalk from his pocket.

It was one of the incomplete artifacts he had bought from the Black Tortoise Tower’s black market.

‘Go!’

Crack!

With the sound of shattering, thick, grey smoke filled the air near the mud golem, smelling like burnt wood and making it hard to see. The mud golem hesitated because it couldn’t see.

Lee Han drew the sword Dawn Star, which could absorb magic, from the headmaster.

The black-purple stone sword’s blade absorbed the magic power around it, making a strange, low hum. The bone summon recoiled, widening the distance.

‘I’m aiming for the legs!’

Thwack!

Lee Han never planned to fight the mud golem head-on.

‘Blocking its sight and tripping it up is enough. The mud golem isn’t like other monsters. It won’t keep chasing if the students disappear.’

Dawn Star worked even better than he thought.

Lee Han cut the mud golem’s heel. The golem lost its balance. It didn’t recover quickly and knelt on one knee, staggering.

Then something fell from above.

” ? ”

Lee Han caught it without thinking.

It was a dwarf from the White Tiger Tower.

“? ? ?”

Bartrec Bark, who had been caught in the mud golem’s fist, looked around with confused eyes.

Someone invisible was holding him.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you getting up?”

Bartrec was surprised by the calm words of the invisible person and quickly stood up straight.

“Could it be Wodanaz?”

“? !”

This time, Lee Han was surprised.

‘What is this White Tiger Tower guy? How did he know?’

“How did you know?”

“I just thought that Wodanaz from the Azure Dragon Tower was the only one who would do something like this…”

“……”

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

No, that doesn’t make any sense…

“Help Bartrec! Help Bartrec!”

“Bartrec! We’re coming!”

As the mud golem stopped, the White Tiger Tower students got back together and prepared to attack.

It was truly amazing that their fighting spirit hadn’t been broken at all, even after being beaten so badly and running away.

Of course, Lee Han was furious.

“Seriously, those unnecessary bastards!” he thought, clenching his teeth in anger.

Bartrec pretended not to hear for the sake of the honor of Wodanaz, who had just saved him.

‘Can’t these guys even evacuate properly?!’

Lee Han’s plan was simple.

Using the weakness of the mud golem that he had found earlier, Lee Han would block its vision and buy time.

In the meantime, the students would evacuate on their own.

Once all the students had disappeared, Lee Han would also use the power of the invisibility belt to disappear without worry.

It was a simple yet decent plan, but the White Tiger Tower students had ruined it all.

Of course, the White Tiger Tower students hadn’t heard Lee Han’s plan, so there were reasons to excuse them, but it didn’t mean much to Lee Han.

“Hey, tell them to run away!”

“Everyone, get out of here! You don’t need to come and help me!”

Bartrec was flustered, but he did as Lee Han told him for now.

It was Lee Han, not another student, who had blocked the mud golem’s vision and saved him.

If he had any conscience, regardless of the pride of the tower, he couldn’t refuse the situation.

…However, the White Tiger Tower students ignored Bartrec’s words.

“Bartrec! We’re coming to help you now!”

“Bartrec, we’re coming!”

“……”

Bartrec glanced at Lee Han without realizing it. Of course, he couldn’t see him because he was invisible.

Thud-

The mud golem, which had stopped to recover its legs in addition to the smoke screen that had gone off around it, slowly began to move again.

On top of that, the White Tiger Tower students running through the smoke seemed to have made the mud golem angry. The golem seemed to turn its head and stare intently at the White Tiger Tower students.

‘Anyone could see that it was identifying and tracking its target.’

“Hey. How did you get through here? The mud golem wouldn’t have cleared the way so easily.”

Lee Han asked Bartrec.

Lee Han was able to go behind the mud golem because he had invisibility magic, but the White Tiger Tower students didn’t have such a method.

“We made a mud-dissolving potion and threw it. Priest Siana knows how to make it…”

“!”

Lee Han was surprised. There was such a thing.

If they had something like that, it wouldn’t be impossible to weaken the mud golem itself.

“That’s great! Where’s that potion?”

“We used it all…”

“……”

Lee Han stopped himself from hitting him on the back of the head since he was invisible. To waste such a valuable potion so carelessly.

‘Are your heads just for hanging helmets?’

‘Sigh.’

After letting out a sigh, Lee Han refocused.

The White Tiger Tower guys didn’t seem to have any intention of backing down…

In this case, he had to inflict as much damage as possible to the mud golem before the smoke completely disappeared.

What was the best way to do that now?

‘Even if I cut it with Dawn Star, the wound would be too small compared to its size, and the water orb takes too long.’

Without even having time to think, the White Tiger Tower students were getting closer. The mud golem had already raised its fist.

“Blast!”

“Burn!” Ethan shouted. He didn’t think about the spell; it just burst out of him.

Being so close to the mud golem meant it was within range, and this spell was more aggressive than the others. However, the effect was far greater than what Ethan had anticipated.

Whoosh!

Bartrec, startled, dropped to the ground.

Suddenly, with a whoosh and a crackle, bright orange flames exploded from Ethan’s hand. They wrapped around the tall, clumsy mud golem, turning it into a burning statue. The rain hissed as it hit the fire, but the flames just grew stronger.

“Incredible!” Bartrec gasped, his eyes wide.

Many students in White Tiger Tower disliked and envied Wodanaz, but this was undeniable. For a fellow freshman to incinerate a mud golem with a single spell… The difference was huge. It made them feel amazed, not jealous.

“I’m screwed!” Ethan muttered.

But instead of admiration, Ethan cursed. ‘Sorry, Professor Garcia!’

Ethan was now experiencing firsthand why Professor Garcia had suggested practicing fire elemental magic later. In his haste, he had poured more magical power into the spell than he could control, and the flames had immediately escaped his grasp, raging wildly. He felt a rush of panic. He had messed up.

Fortunately, the mud golem was taking the brunt of the rampaging flames. Otherwise, the fire would have spread in other directions.

Crack!

Ethan looked up at the cracking sound. The mud golem was crumbling as it was baked by the flames. It was easy to assume that baking mud would harden it, but unless the mud was properly prepared, it wouldn’t become solid when fired. Instead, it was vulnerable to fire and crumbled like this.

“…He… he was aiming for this…!” Bartrec was beyond impressed.

Ethan dispelled the invisibility spell. Together with the White Tiger Tower students who had rushed over, he slashed and stabbed at the mud golem in perfect sync. Already cracked and crumbling, the mud golem couldn’t withstand the assault any longer. It collapsed and fell.

“Waaah!”

“We got it! We got it!”

“It’s all thanks to you! Well done!”

Ethan was puzzled by the White Tiger Tower students who crowded around, expressing their gratitude. ‘What’s going on?’ Of course, he understood their joy at defeating the golem, but why were they suddenly acting so friendly after fighting alongside him? The White Tiger Tower students were so happy they forgot everything else for a moment.

“…By the way, who are you? I don’t remember seeing you before…?”

“Which house are you from?”

The White Tiger Tower students, who had been thanking Ethan, sensed something was amiss. They had assumed he was one of their own, fighting alongside Bartrec with a sword… But the more they looked, the less he seemed like a White Tiger Tower student.

Bartrec, unable to watch any longer, stepped in.

“That’s Wodanaz from Blue Dragon Tower, isn’t it?”

The White Tiger Tower students, who had been so grateful just moments before, recoiled in shock. Some even fell over. They seemed more surprised than when the mud golem attacked.

“What… what are you plotting… against us?”

“No, more importantly, how did you deceive us? Did you use the rain? But that doesn’t make sense either?”

“Did you use magic??”

The White Tiger Tower students talked nonsense and imagined crazy things, Ethan shook his head in disbelief.

Bartrec said, limping. He had been injured when the mud golem grabbed him earlier.

“Hey, stop it! Wodanaz is helping us! He just saved me, okay? Stop being stupid.”

“Bartrec! Are you alright?”

“I think I sprained something, but I’m fine. Can you gather the other students? It would be best to gather them in one place before they scatter further.”

At Bartrec’s words, the White Tiger Tower students nodded. Not all the students had charged in with reckless abandon. The priests from Phoenix Tower and the timid (or, in Ethan’s view, clever) White Tiger Tower students had chosen to flee instead of fight. They needed to be called back before they got lost in the mountains while fleeing.

“But…”

“?”

“It’s okay to leave just Bartrec here, right? Wodanaz, you’re not going to do anything to Bartrec, are you?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that I don’t trust your honor, but Bartrec is injured right now…” The White Tiger Tower students, meeting Ethan’s cold gaze, shrank back and mumbled excuses.

“Is anyone missing?”

“No. I’ve checked everyone.”

Ethan checked the numbers of the Blue Dragon Tower and Black Tortoise Tower students. Looking to the side, it seemed the White Tiger Tower and Phoenix Tower students had all gathered as well. No one on Ethan’s side was injured, but the White Tiger Tower students had the most casualties. Having recklessly charged at the mud golem, few students were without bruises or fractures.

The priests from Phoenix Tower were giving first aid to those friends. In particular, Priest Siana, true to her origins in the Fremen Order, created and distributed pain relief potions and bruise remedies. Yonel was impressed by her skill.

“You’re amazing! Because you’re from the Fremen Order, you know so many recipes, and your speed and skill are all…”

However, Ethan, who had heard the story of Priest Siana’s jealousy, was troubled. -If you just disappeared, I’d be number one!! Such thoughts suddenly flashed through his mind. ‘I’ve already made enemies with White Tiger Tower, I don’t want to make enemies with Phoenix Tower too…’

As Ethan was thinking this, Priest Siana approached.

“I heard you fought the mud golem directly. Try this. It’s a bruise remedy.”

“Ethan isn’t hurt…” Yonel tried to explain kindly, but Ethan was one step ahead. He quickly took the potion, downed it in one gulp, and exclaimed with all his might.

“Wow! This potion… it’s like magic itself! The best thing I’ve ever tasted in my life!”

“Huh?” Yonel was puzzled by Ethan’s extreme reaction. Of course, Priest Siana’s skills were outstanding, but there was no way a hastily made potion could be that good…?

However, Ethan’s exaggerated reaction was just beginning. The skills he had honed by forcibly listening to the professor’s boring stories were now unleashed.

“Did you make this potion yourself? Unbelievable! This should be sold for money! Heavens!” Ethan exclaimed, glancing sideways. And he could clearly see it. Priest Siana’s face was beaming!