Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 234

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 234

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius Episode 234

Anemone (4)

An enemy that I could easily kill if I had enough time.

My assessment of the opponent was as follows:

He has tough durability and is fast. These are significant advantages in combat, but unfortunately, he hasn’t grown enough to kill me.

Tough luck for him.

“If my senses were even slightly duller, or if my agility were lower, the advantage would definitely be yours.”

“Indeed. Oh, and if you’re going to name me, please call me ‘Insurrection’ properly. It’s not my real name, but it’s a respectable title that I’m called by now.”

Even while confronting each other, the Majin [a being who has embraced demonic energy] remained composed.

“‘Insurrection,’ huh? That’s a magical name, isn’t it? The more you call it, the closer you get to the ‘Insurrection’ you’ve set, a rather old-fashioned type of magic.”

“Hmm, that’s right. By the way, figuring that out so quickly… This is why I hate fighting smart people.”

“It’s because you’re too brazenly demanding that I call you by your name.”

Names have power.

From the days when social status existed, the fact that people of lower status couldn’t freely call the names of those of higher status was part of that power. And at the very top of that power was the name of the king.

The king’s name is sacred and noble.

That’s why the royal families of ancient times would inherit their names along with the throne. An act full of shamanistic meaning.

The fact that he wants me to call him ‘Insurrection’ is also part of such an act.

I don’t know what meaning is contained in the name ‘Insurrection,’ but at least it won’t be helpful to me.

Then I won’t call him.

「Pyrokinesis」

Shaped flames splash towards the opponent.

The firepower, which could cause a large fire at any moment, couldn’t penetrate his tough skin, but it could be a trap to lure out ‘Insurrection.’

Whirr───!!

A situation where the view is completely blocked by flames.

Thump, thump. Even in the sound of the flames burning, the relaxed sound of footsteps approaching was ominous.

“Is it here?!”

Thud!

As ‘Insurrection’ took a step, the wind pressure temporarily blew away the flames.

He created a powerful wind pressure with just his physical abilities. It’s enough to be thrilled by that fact, but unfortunately, his intelligence seems a bit lacking.

The fact that he approached wasn’t me, but a mass of magical power in the shape of a person, formed by gathering magical power. I deliberately emitted my presence only near the mass of magical power, but I never expected him to focus on such a structure.

His senses seem to be more trash than his physical abilities.

I was thrilled once by his physical abilities.

And thrilled twice by his stupid senses and judgment.

“Eat this.”

I muttered quietly from behind ‘Insurrection.’

Only then did he turn around and look at me, but it was already far too late.

Like starting a car, the mass of magical power I had shaped began to vibrate and make noise with a tremor, starting from my words.

“!!!!”

A huge wave of magical power.

‘Insurrection’s eyes and feet move hastily as he realizes that something is going wrong due to his misjudgment. But the speed at which the mass of magical power explodes is much faster than his movements.

Bang──!!!

Everything vibrates. The ground shakes with the mushroom cloud, and the air trembles.

Perhaps because there are houses nearby, the pure explosive power wasn’t high.

But the density at the center of the explosion was beyond imagination. To prevent damage to the surroundings, all the effects of the explosion were concentrated on one point.

The only target of all the effects of the explosion that just occurred was one person.

Only ‘Insurrection,’ standing blankly.

“……With an explosion of this magnitude, even if it’s not a finishing blow, at least one ankle must be broken.”

I used more magical power and mental strength than I thought to make the mass of magical power I used in the explosion a kind of detonator. Thanks to that, I’m a bit dizzy, but I’ve bought time with this.

Now I just need to go back to the dorm.

Of course, I raised my senses in preparation for any possible variables in the process.

Even so.

Crunch!

I didn’t immediately realize that my side had suddenly become hot.

“What is this……?”

The reaction was slightly delayed.

Before I could capture it with my eyes or recognize it with my senses, something tore at my side. In fact, I wouldn’t have even imagined that my side had been torn if I hadn’t seen the traces.

How can I believe that my side was torn in such a short time?

And even with teeth.

“Crunch, crunch, this is more delicious than I thought.”

‘Insurrection’ savoring the flesh and blood of my side.

The blood flowing from his mouth and his eyes filled with madness were similar. He’s crazy to this extent. To think he would put human flesh in his mouth.

I thought he might be some kind of cannibal, but now, more than that thought, the momentum of ‘Insurrection,’ who gets stronger every time he licks the blood flowing from his mouth with his tongue, was the priority.

‘I wonder what his ability is, but is it an ability to consume blood in that way?’

Just as disgust rose on my face.

‘Insurrection’ savored the taste of the blood and commented. He felt nobility in the blood he had just eaten. It was a very oily and sweet taste.

He glimpses emotions through blood and flesh.

Nevertheless, ‘Insurrection’ didn’t know nobility well.

In the Middle Ages, it was common to say that the blood of a virgin was pure. Then is the blood of a warrior who has made a resolution noble? Despite drinking the blood of countless warriors, ‘Insurrection’ couldn’t find anything in their blood. He only reaffirmed the fact that blood is red and fishy.

But.

“Your blood is different.”

‘Insurrection’ felt it.

The joy that burst out the moment he held his blood in his mouth.

It was a memory contained in the blood, and it was a stark representation of the path he had walked so far.

“I’ve eaten a lot of blood so far. I’ve seen a lot of blood, but your blood is different.”

“Compliments about blood…… It’s hard to say thank you even as a formality. Honestly, it’s a bit disgusting.”

Not to mention compliments while crunching on my flesh and blood.

No matter how much you praise me, I don’t want to hear it.

“Was my impression disgusting? But what can I do when it’s the first time in my life that I’ve tasted noble blood? If you don’t like my reaction, blame yourself for being the owner of blue blood.”

“I was wondering what you were saying, muttering strange nonsense, but in the end, it was just a madman’s nonsense. I just gave you time to babble for no reason.”

The taste of noble blood?

Blue blood?

The appearance of ‘Insurrection,’ continuing a long speech like a gourmet tasting the taste of blood, was completely distorted. If an ordinary person ate delicious food and did that, I would have lightly dismissed it as a strange person, but with blood smeared all over his mouth while chewing on human flesh, the sense of incongruity is no joke.

But this sense of incongruity is proof that they are not human.

‘Majins are a race that has given up on being human.’

That doesn’t mean that the fact that they were born as humans disappears.

Their birth was clearly no different from other people. However, the difference is the presence or absence of magic.

And.

“Nonsense! What is at the pinnacle of blood is blue blood. And that blood is flowing from you now! To think that you don’t even realize that you possess such sweet and noble blood. What a sad thing this is?!”

“……I wanted to get information through conversation, but you’ve gone completely crazy.”

That is to be fanatically obsessed with something.

It can be something with a form, like an object, or something without a form, like a memory or a habit.

It’s good to be absorbed in something.

Because it’s proof that you like it that much. There’s nothing bad for a person.

But if that absorption becomes an obsession, things change. If you put down everything you have and become so obsessed that you give up even the minimum dignity as a human being, then you expel all the magic inside you and fill that empty space with demonic energy.

The reason why they gain demonic energy and become Majins is simple.

‘Because Majins have long lifespans, and demonic energy can fill their madness.’

Magic is a versatile medium that allows you to achieve everything, including magic and authority. For thousands of years, people have used magic to achieve their civilizations and ideals.

But demonic energy is…

A medium beyond magic.

It helps users achieve what they want without complicated formulas like magic. A smart head or innate talent is not important.

All Majins need is resentment.

Only the obsession to achieve something no matter what.

That alone makes the Majin not fall into laziness and boredom from their long lives, and allows them to walk forward properly. Only obsession makes the Majin exist.

And looking at it.

‘It’s obvious what his obsession is.’

The object of ‘Insurrection’s obsession is blood.

Tearing human flesh and taking the fresh blood in the blood vessels is his driving force.

“You’re much more like a vampire than Erzebet.”

Perhaps because she is still young. Her body wants the blood of others, but Erzebet, who refuses to consume blood, has a clumsy side like a quarter vampire.

On the other hand, he was different.

He has no hesitation in tearing flesh and consuming blood.

Rather, he considers it a pleasure. Maybe he is one of the 「Heirs of the Vampire」.

‘I can’t be sure because the status window isn’t responding.’

Even if there is no material evidence, well, there is such a thing as instinctive conviction, right?

I felt the same way.

In the first place, the opponent is a Majin who has cut off the connection with the status window and become an independent being from the world. Even if he is a 「Heir of the Vampire」 like Erzebet, there is no way for me to notice with the status window.

As my thoughts reached that point, I suddenly became curious about him.

“Why are you so obsessed with blood?”

I asked ‘Insurrection,’ who was raving as if he had lost his ideals.

It’s not a question I asked expecting a special answer or reaction.

I just asked because I was bored with this meaningless war of attrition that had been going on for a long time. I didn’t even think an answer would come back.

“Because blood is everything to a person.”

But an answer came back.

“Let me ask you in return. What is blood to you?”

“Water of life.”

Water of life with a different meaning from water.

If water is the water of life that you have to drink to live, then blood is the water of life that must exist in our body to live. To me, blood had no more value than that.

Of course, if I send poison into the blood and use it as a weapon with strategic value, the story is slightly different.

If we only talk about value, that’s all.

“Water of life. Indeed, it’s not a wrong word. It’s quite different from the generally used definition of water of life, but in the end, it’s water that you can’t live without.”

But.

“Unfortunately, it’s slightly different from the answer I want.”

“Then what is your definition of blood?”

“As I said just now. It’s everything.”

To ‘Insurrection,’ blood was everything.

Not an abstract word or a metaphysical word, but literally everything.

“Bloodline, blood tax, blood oath, blood money.”

He can explain his whole life.

With only one blood.

That’s why blood was everything to ‘Insurrection.’

“The bloodline you are born with, the blood tax you will pay for the rest of your life. Countries and groups form blood oaths by drinking each other’s blood, and no matter how harmonious people try to end things, the end is only a war made of iron and blood.”

Like this.

Everything in the world is made of blood.

That was ‘Insurrection’s belief.

“Constantly shedding blood is life. The world always wants us to shed blood among ourselves. Then wouldn’t the one who controls the blood be the king of this world?”

He was endlessly serious.

Looking at that figure, I realized.

“You… You’re not a person of this era.”

His ideology is too old.

I wasn’t criticizing him for having strange thoughts. It just felt a little awkward to discuss blue blood, to curse the environment determined at birth, and to resent the world with the current atmosphere.

Then indeed.

“The Middle Ages. No, I don’t think you were born that long ago. I don’t have enough information, so it’s ambiguous. At least you were born in an era when status was meaningful.”

“No, that’s right. You see it properly. It’s been hundreds of years since I became a Majin.”

No wonder his ideology was a bit old.

“Originally, you would have been buried in the ground by now and become nutrients. Should I make you a nutrient for the land now in accordance with the original order?”

“There’s no need for that.”

‘Insurrection’ says calmly.

His attitude still showed confidence.

Although he did land a blow on me, it was I who was occupying a favorable high ground in the current simple and ignorant war of attrition. The total amount of demonic energy he possessed could never exceed the amount of magical power I possessed.

My victory is certain.

Even so, he was confident. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but be nervous, even if I didn’t show it.

‘Is that confidence a confidence with a reason? Or is it a high-level act of deceiving me and even deceiving himself?’

A strange sense of unease crept in.