Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 515

“Yes, I understand.”

Cohorti looked at Lee Han with a very loving look after Lee Han’s answer.

Where else could one find such a considerate junior? Not in other schools, nor other departments.

“It’s not that I’m scared of Dire—well, I am a bit scared, but… I’m sorry. I’ll repay you somehow.”

“Haha. It’s nothing. Isn’t it natural for a junior to do this?”

Lee Han answered without taking a breath.

Cohorti was still looking at Lee Han with admiration when another student walked past.

‘Who is that?’

There was only one reason to head towards the healers’ tent where Lee Han and Cohorti were.

The injured from the Madman’s Festival.

But the student walking by looked perfectly fine. And he looked familiar.

‘Where have I seen him? I haven’t met that many seniors, have I?’

Lee Han soon realized who the student was.

“Wasn’t that senior from the Enchantment Magic department who just passed by?”

It was Anpagone, the Enchantment Magic senior who had prepared the midterm exam for him in place of Professor Verdus.

“Oh? I guess so. Why?”

“He looked perfectly fine on the outside, so I was wondering why he was going to the healers’ tent.”

“Who knows? Maybe his insides are messed up. Like, maybe his stomach turned to stone or something?”

“……”

Lee Han slowly backed away at the sight of his senior making such disgusting remarks without changing his expression.

Cohorti did not notice this and kept trying hard to impress Lee Han.

“…that’s how he was able to steal the bones. Funny, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Right? I knew you’d find it funny. The thing is, bones are used not only in bone elemental magic but also in curses. Curse magic is one of the least researched areas in black magic, but that’s what makes it so interesting… Speaking of internal organs, do you know about the parasites that eat hearts?”

“……”

As expected of Anpagone, who was known as the most sociable person in the Enchantment Magic department, the healers quickly recognized him when he arrived at the tent.

“Ah, you’re… um… Enchantment Magic… who was it again?”

“Oh, you’re… um… Enchantment Magic… what’s your name?”

Anpagone calmly replied without being surprised.

“Anpagone.”

“Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. I came to school to learn my magic, and you came to learn yours, not to memorize each other’s names. Aren’t we wizards who focus on our own magic instead of wasting time on unnecessary things?”

The healers sent Anpagone respectful glances… or rather, glances filled with confusion and a hint of fear.

‘Are these guys putting us on the same level?’

‘Do we look the same as those guys from your department?’

The Healing Magic department students, who participated in every difficult task at the school, were definitely not the same as the Enchantment Magic department students, who would be making artifacts in their workshops even if the school was about to be destroyed.

“So, um… why are you here?”

“Did you perhaps injure your internal organs? You look fine, though.”

“Isn’t there a junior from the Wodanaz family here? I heard there was definitely a first-year student.”

“……”

“……”

The healing magic students were dumbfounded.

If even the Enchantment Magic department guys, who were notorious for their lack of sociability, knew about him, then what was going on?

“Why are you looking for him?”

“I was hoping to borrow his strength, if he doesn’t mind.”

“You’re not here to borrow his magic power, are you?”

“What? Are you insulting me right now?” Anpagone frowned and asked back.

He might not be sociable, but Anpagone wasn’t stupid enough to stay still when someone insulted him.

The healing magic students awkwardly apologized.

“Sorry.”

“We apologize. There was someone who came to borrow magic power.”

‘What a ridiculous excuse.’

Anpagone internally scorned them but didn’t point it out. It was a waste of time.

“I came to see if he could help me make a composite artifact. But he doesn’t seem to be here.”

“Um, he went out for a bit after being called by another senior.”

“Is that so? I’m a step late. Which department?”

“Black Magic department.”

“Black Magic…? Ah, right. He was taking Black Magic classes too. What did they ask for help with?”

Anpagone highly valued Lee Han’s artifact-related crafting abilities.

Even when crafting the same artifact, his ability to enhance its performance far beyond the norm, and even omit some structures, was something any artifact craftsman would covet.

In the case of composite artifacts that amplify their power by combining several artifacts, it would unleash even more powerful abilities.

It was possible because of his innate brainpower, his ability to sense magic, and his magical power.

Anpagone was so impressed that he didn’t even tell the others in his department.

“……”

“……”

“?

Anpagone was puzzled when the healing magic students looked at each other and remained silent.

“I guess it’s a secret I shouldn’t know. Understood.”

“Ah, no… well…”

“Y-yes. It’s a secret.”

Cohorti suddenly regretted it when he arrived at the place where the relic was.

Cohorti’s mind became unclear again.

‘Even if it’s urgent, is it really right to activate the relic by borrowing my junior’s magic power?’

“Senior, is this it?”

“Huh? Uh-huh.”

“Should I inject magic power into it?”

“Well, you can, but wai—”

Woooosh!

The relic, which hadn’t budged no matter how much magic power he poured into it or how many potions he used to assist it, began to emit light and sound.

Seeing that, Cohorti’s mind slipped away again, and his instincts as a wizard took over his brain.

“Yes! Just like that!! You’re doing great!”

“The relic looks unique.”

“Huh? Old relics are usually like this.”

The relic looked like a wardrobe, like a closet used for clothes.

It was such an ordinary object that it was strange to think it was a relic related to black magic.

“Using everyday objects reduces the risk of theft or robbery, and there are fewer problems even if something happens. The appearance doesn’t matter.”

“I see.”

Wooooosh-

Lee Han continued to fill it with magic power without stopping as he spoke.

Charging magical objects was surprisingly easy, especially compared to the complicated rituals for summoning creatures. It was almost boringly simple; you just had to channel your magic into them, like pouring water into a jug.

In fact, before Koholte could even finish explaining, the old wooden chair began to glow with a sickly green light. It vibrated and shook violently, the rusty metal hinges groaning as if the heavy lid was about to explode open at any moment.

“Is… is it finished already?” Leehan asked, surprised.

“So fast? Already… it’s really done?!” Koholte stammered, his eyes wide. He was stunned. He hadn’t believed it could be so quick, but there it was, the chair practically vibrating with pent-up magic.

“Thank you, thank you so much, junior!” Koholte exclaimed, his voice full of nervous excitement. “I owe you big time! Now, watch this! Let me summon them!”

Koholte chanted the summoning spell, his voice trembling slightly, and with a flourish, he threw open the chair’s lid.

As the groaning lid swung wide, the green light vanished abruptly, plunging the area into a brief silence. Then, from the dark depths of the chair, a ghostly army began to rise. They were pale and shimmering, like smoke given human form, and a chilling, eerie whistle filled the air, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

“It’s working! It’s working!” Koholte cried, practically jumping up and down. “Do you see them? Do you see?!”

“Senior,” Leehan said calmly, pointing.

“Want to try controlling them? Wait! Let me tell you the commands – you just have to –”

“Actually,” Leehan interrupted politely, “I really need to get back. I came out of the healing tent while I was still recovering. Can I go now?”

“…Can’t you stay for just a little longer?” Koholte pleaded, his voice dropping. “They’re not fully formed yet, but if they deploy a bit more, it will be truly spectacular, you’ll see!” He looked almost pathetic, clinging to the hope of impressing someone, anyone.

“What? Are those black magic guys crazy? How did they summon something like that?”

“Are they made of money? Damn it. If I knew they had that much money, I would have raided them.”

The Einrogaard students gathered there naturally noticed the anomaly.

A black magic artifact summoning, accompanied by an intense magical surge.

It was impossible to know where they got that much magic.

They wouldn’t have filled it mindlessly with a wizard’s magic, and they would have used all sorts of expensive reagents…

How did they get that?

With numerous summoned creatures behind him, Koholte sat imposingly. The students felt a thrill at the sight.

‘It’s not easy to feel thrilled by black magic…’

‘Aren’t those guys overdoing it?’

‘Impressive. It’ll leave a strong impression.’

Some might think that showing off at a festival was just about empty pride.

But that wasn’t the case.

First of all, meaningless pride was quite important (especially for the students of each tower)…

It was an opportunity for students from various schools to promote their school and to inform students from other schools of the superiority of their school’s magic.

That ghost army would have left a strong impression of the black magic school.

‘Well, even if it left a strong impression, they wouldn’t learn black magic.’

‘They’d just be amazed.’

The students didn’t care much.

Even if black magic was active, there was little need to keep it in check.

Kuooh-

“?!”

“What’s that?”

However, the story was a bit different for schools other than black magic.

When Anpahgon, an enchantment magic student in his third year, dragged out a complex artifact reminiscent of a ballista, everyone was taken aback.

How did he complete such a complex artifact in such a short time?

“What? Is everyone except me preparing to show off their magic at the festival? Instead of throwing stones…”

“How many are combined? It looks like dozens?”

“Didn’t he make it in advance and bring it out?”

“No. That’s impossible. At that level, it has to be assembled on the spot… but how?”

Koholte was also very surprised by the results of the enchantment magic school.

‘What is it? How did he make it?’

He had borrowed power that was close to cheating, but wasn’t that opponent making it alone?

It seemed that there was a genius in the enchantment magic school that Koholte didn’t know about.

‘…Humph. It doesn’t matter. Our school also has a genius who is no less than that guy.’

Koholte decided not to envy other schools.

…Of course, that junior was talented in every type of magic, but even so, this was impressive.

“It seems to be starting now.”

Leehan, who had returned, sat inside the tent with the healing magic students and watched the dimensional rift.

The air was ominous, but thanks to the cessation of stone-throwing, there was actually less to do.

‘Hmm. It would be nice if something was summoned every time something like this happens in the future.’

Leehan watched the dimensional rift with a very terrible thought in his mind.

Of course, the seniors would suffer a bit, but that was none of Leehan’s business.

Just like when the Frost Giant came out, and when the spirit flood broke out, the seniors didn’t do anything for him.

-The heat of war awakens me.

“?”

Leehan looked around at the sudden voice.

The healing magic seniors were eating honey and glutinous rice fried cookies, chattering about which side they would be summoned to.

‘What is it? Is it the headmaster?’

-The heat of war awakens me!

“!”

Leehan finally realized the identity of the voice.

Surprisingly, the voice was flowing out of the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Corpses.

-The heat of war awakens me!! Give me a weapon. So that I can cut off the necks of enemies and obtain blood!

Leehan glanced at the seniors who had been throwing stones.

Could it be that deep in Leehan’s subconscious, there was a desire to cut down those seniors?

‘Surely not.’

-Give me a weapon… wait…

The voice seemed to have belatedly come to its senses.

The Bracelet of Ten Thousand Corpses was a place where demons defeated by the Ghoul King were sealed.

It was natural for demons who had been sealed in such a place for a long time to have confusion in their ego and memories.

The demon, now fully awake, started asking Leehan many questions.

Where is this, what kind of guy are you, wizard, how did you get me, and what war is about to break out now.

“…It’s not a war, it’s a festival.”

-War is another name for festival!

“No, just a festival…”

-Blood and pain, screams call to me! Fear me. I am Anphursas!

At that moment, the bracelet blazed and engraved a new pattern on Leehan’s wrist.

It was a pattern that served as a passage for the demon, Anphursas, to go back and forth between the inside and outside of the bracelet.

Leehan suddenly understood what the pattern was. Surprised, he tried to close it.

If you leave such a pattern open, the demon could pop out of the bracelet without permission.

But it was already too late.

Anphursas, who had escaped through the passage, occupied a corner of Leehan’s body and began to shout at the top of his lungs.

-I will not go back inside until you give me a chance to fight!