Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 61

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 61

Rank Test (1)

A suddenly added schedule.

While the other students were bewildered by the sudden announcement, Seo Yerin felt differently.

She was curious and eager to observe her teacher’s performance firsthand and understand the objective evaluation criteria.

‘He’ll be at least a B-rank, right?’

The ranking system evaluates players from F to S.

A B-rank is a significant threshold.

Most promising freshmen possess skills comparable to C-rank, and by graduation, they typically reach B to A-rank. However, many struggle to surpass B-rank.

Therefore, within the player industry, especially among Academy students, achieving a B-rank player license is seen as a major hurdle.

Of course, A-rank and S-rank present even greater challenges.

B-rank holds particular significance as the first major obstacle students encounter after graduating from the Academy.

“Teacher, you’ll easily pass B-rank, right?”

“Of course. While there may be doubts about his teaching methods, his skills are undeniable, judging by the traces he left throughout the Academy during the last attack,” Isabel responded calmly to Leeji’s concern.

Seungwoo had garnered attention from both families for his exceptional magical abilities and talent even before their engagement.

She hadn’t personally witnessed his abilities in action, but the magical residue and mana traces left throughout the Academy during the previous attack spoke volumes.

“B-rank is a given. I believe he could pass the A-rank test as well.”

“So, the Academy assistant instructor is indeed qualified,” someone remarked.

Everyone shared similar sentiments.

Listening to them, his success seemed assured.

Even Seo Yerin, usually reserved, was confident that her teacher wouldn’t fail a simple B-rank test, though she kept her thoughts to herself.

‘Like they said, there’s no way Teacher will fail.’

Not just because he was an assistant instructor, or because he saved her and Yura, or even because he taught her spearmanship techniques that her grandfather had withheld.

‘……He’s definitely hiding something.’

This was a subtle feeling shared by everyone in the group.

Teacher is strong. This was evident from his near single-handed resolution of the Academy attack.

And there were other clues.

During the courage training exercise, Sung Yeonhwa, with her honed martial artist senses, noticed that he identified the enemy faster than she did.

Despite being a mage, he provides guidance to Leeji and her, who are martial artists. Although, in the latter case, the effectiveness of his teachings remains to be seen.

‘The individual curriculum Teacher presented… I felt like my movements were becoming lighter as I followed it.’

Martial arts knowledge that a mage wouldn’t typically possess.

Even if he simply had a broad knowledge base due to an interest in martial arts, the type and depth of that knowledge were remarkable.

Seo Yerin, who possessed innate talent but had been held back by her grandfather’s restrictions, could sense it.

The two mysteries [advanced techniques] he taught her.

Those were higher-level martial arts beyond her current capabilities.

However, they weren’t overly difficult.

Precisely, martial arts that were just above her level. The mysteries that were half a step ahead were profound yet accessible.

How could he teach her something so perfectly tailored to her needs?

This couldn’t be explained simply by attributing it to the qualities of an educator or innate talent.

One thing was certain.

Teacher, Seungwoo, had studied martial arts.

A wide variety of martial arts, to a considerable degree.

‘Mage and martial arts……’

Can a mage truly master martial arts to a significant extent?

Opinions are divided, but it’s theoretically possible, considering the existence of sword mages among the rankers and high-rankers listed in the system.

However, it remains largely theoretical.

People respect theory, but they rarely embrace fundamental concepts that remain theoretical. Theory is just theory.

Because the world is full of shortcuts and tricks.

‘Me, trying to combine spearmanship and healing arts… it’s similar.’

However, Seo Yerin was one of the few unconventional individuals who refused to take shortcuts.

The study of ‘Healing Arts’ or ‘Healing Magic’ was vastly different from spearmanship. It wasn’t like a swordsman learning spearmanship or other martial arts for enlightenment.

Martial arts, including swordsmanship, might have different forms, but they ultimately converge into a single path, as the saying goes, “ten thousand streams flow to the sea.”

However, spearmanship and healing arts share no common ground from beginning to end. She didn’t even expect to gain any profound insights from studying both simultaneously.

She was simply studying them concurrently because they were two disciplines that Seo Yerin was determined to learn. She knew it wouldn’t be easy.

There was an example of someone succeeding with a similar endeavor right before her eyes.

‘……Teacher.’

Initially, their first meeting and first impression were the worst, but now he had become a guide and teacher who imparted valuable knowledge.

His reputation and the rumors surrounding him were rampant, but as a student, she had only witnessed actions and impressions that contradicted those rumors.

Seungwoo, who was impossible to fully understand.

I want to know.

I wanted to know more about him.

In her, who was obsessed with reading and learning because she lacked proper guidance, the desire for exploration was her greatest and only passion.

Therefore, while she wanted to uncover Seungwoo’s secrets, she hoped that they wouldn’t be trivial. If she was going to explore, she wanted it to be deep and fascinating.

Fortunately.

─Is there any monster you want?

“Magma Tortoise. Is it possible?”

Seungwoo summoned the most formidable monster he could face in the B-rank test.

It seems like it won’t be trivial.

* * *

After Simon’s inspection, the Madoem [a shadowy organization] were moving with urgency.

The grand operation was scheduled for nine o’clock tonight.

Less than half a day remained.

“Move quickly! Those who can hide in boxes, hide, and those who have connections with wealthy people in various places, hurry up and disguise yourselves!”

“Branch Manager! We’re running short on explosives!”

“Figure it out yourselves! Do I have to spell everything out for you?!”

The Madoem were preparing for their respective tasks.

Amidst their coordinated efforts, one Madoem was running frantically, drenched in sweat. Considering the Madoem’s renowned stamina, it was remarkable how exhausted he appeared.

“What, why are you here when you should be working outside?”

“B, Branch Manager! B, Big trouble!”

“My biggest concern is that I can’t understand you because you’re shaking so much.”

“This is no time for jokes. Look at this. Traces of shadows were discovered in a secluded area of the collapsed 3rd branch.”

The Madoem, addressed as the Branch Manager, examined the dark object he had been presented with.

He clicked his tongue, feigning ignorance.

“Shadows? Tsk, the Assassination Brigade, huh? Getting involved with that crazy bitch is bad luck.”

The Assassination Brigade is a term used to describe a one-person army rather than a guild or family-level organization. To be precise, the brigade consists of a single individual: the officer who commands all the soldiers and the master of shadows.

Involvement with that assassin, who specializes in assassination, typically leads to an accidental death in eight or nine out of ten cases.

No, perhaps ten out of ten, if you consider the full picture.

“B, Branch Manager, is that woman really that dangerous?”

“Why are you so dense, just like you were with Simon earlier? How did someone like you even become a Madoem?”

He facepalmed, exasperated by the lack of common sense within the organization, even after the previous incident.

This time, the question was even more absurd.

For a Madoem, a race that thrives in the shadows, being unaware of that legendary assassin is akin to not caring about dying in the streets.

Who promoted this idiot to Madoem?

His mind was reeling.

The Madoem, who scratched his head so vigorously that his scalp peeled, suppressed his anger.

He was currently preparing for the grand operation.

He would vent his frustration later, after the operation was complete, by wreaking havoc on the sales department that had inexplicably made that imbecile a Madoem.

“That bitch is a monster. She’s faster and stronger than a Madoem, even though she’s human. Of course, there are others like that, but she’s particularly problematic for us.”

More importantly, the reason that woman was so significant to the Madoem was unique.

“She assassinated a nobleman before.”

She is a nobleman slayer.

Seventy-two noblemen. She is the assassin who assassinated Count Jakak among them.

In fact, since she did not degenerate into a Madoem, the expression assassination was more appropriate than homicide. She succeeded in the assassination by deceiving the eyes of the supreme nobles with a perfect disguise.

The other nobles could not admit the incident on that day when the great nobles saw the perpetrator with their own eyes, but no one noticed that she was a disguised assassin until just before they were attacked.

In front of their pride, even the truth must bow down.

Ultimately, within the group, she was regarded not as a disguised assassin but as a traitor who assassinated and fled from a nobleman, even though she was a Madoem.

Since he couldn’t explain all the nuances, the senior provided a simplified explanation to the junior.

“You know the story about the nobles being trapped on a remote island 10 years ago, right?”

“Hey, I know that too. Don’t underestimate me too much, even if I’m like this…….”

“I am underestimating you, so just be quiet. If you know, just be quiet.”

The Branch Manager, disgusted by the horned man’s sulking, continued.

“The rankers and high-rankers who received the blessing of the status window drove them to the island, and the system that would tear them apart sealed them from leaving the island.”

“And after that, the commoners who lost their center of gravity put forward temporary executives called Monstrous Power and Divine Power?”

“Don’t talk nonsense and shut up. From now on, I’m the only one who talks.”

“Yes, I understand……!”

“I’ll kill you if you answer.”

The Branch Manager, who seriously considered killing his junior for swallowing his breath and covering his mouth, suppressed his murderous intent and continued his explanation.

“At that time, several rankers were secretly working, and one of them was the leader of the Assassination Brigade. She is the traitor who is now recognized by the system as a ranker.”

Well, she wasn’t a Madoem from the beginning.

“Anyway, the nobles below the rank of Baron felt threatened by assassination due to that woman’s scheme, and in the end, that anxiety had a significant impact on the war situation. She’s that dangerous. If that bitch gets involved in the operation, it’s not just a setback, but we have to consider annihilation.”

But we have a candidate for the Dragon General.

There was no need to worry because there would be someone by our side who would never be pushed back by her in terms of strength.

That’s what they thought back then.

Until another Madoem arrived with a letter of absence, announcing another major problem.

“Oh, no! That can’t be!”

“This letter is fake, right? Yeah, it must be fake. It has to be fake. This is fake.”

“You! Did you check properly? Why isn’t the candidate who was supposed to come coming? What about the others? If it’s not the Dragon General, then the Strange or Rebellion, or Ghost should come!”

“Branch Manager…….”

“What the hell!!”

Starting with the mage hunter, nothing was going according to plan.

The Branch Manager banged his head against the wall so hard that dirt and dust soiled his neat suit and horns.

This is not reality. It’s a dream.

That’s what I wanted to believe.