Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 138

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 138

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius 138

Those Who Sacrifice Tomorrow for Today (3)

Thirty minutes had passed since Baek Seung-woo was captured by the woman wearing the peacock mask.

The giant armor that had been following him was stuck at the entrance to the sewer.

More precisely, it was under orders to guard the sewer entrance.

From his lord, the Baron, no less.

“What on earth is the Baron thinking?”

Knight Commander, Termia.

She was Baron Epots’ most loyal servant and his strongest arm.

Knights are, by nature, those who carry out the orders of the high and mighty.

The chivalric spirit of protecting citizens and upholding justice came about long after the concept of a knight was established.

She understood that fact very well.

That’s why, until now, she had been loyal to the Baron without questioning any order, but she couldn’t understand the reasoning behind this particular command.

“Mom! Get a grip!”

“Run! There’s a fire at the biggest tailor shop in the city!”

“To think this old man would live to see the fall of the North. Was the end of us, who have lived in this harsh land, always destined to be this way?”

“What’s this old-timer saying?! Hurry up and get on my back. Let’s run!”

Citizens are fleeing.

Chasing after them are other citizens.

However, upon closer inspection, those chasing them seemed to be in a very strange state.

Like those who are drunk or addicted to drugs.

But fundamentally, these people, with bombs hidden on their bodies, were rushing around in a different state.

The unwavering belief that had turned into madness, the blazing eyes were no different from those performing martyrdom.

Just.

“They’re no different from religious fanatics who belatedly realize their sins and are wallowing in atonement.”

The unique madness seen in those who have enlightened ideologies.

The frenzy subtly seeping out from those who deny the lives they have lived and are excessively absorbed in newly established ideologies and beliefs was like looking at herself as a child.

The same look in the mirror when a ragged orphan in a dark alley was saved by His grace and became a knight trainee.

“I know best how refreshing it is to be saved by others and accept a new self… but the end being martyrdom is a bit much.”

She wanted to stop them right away, but if she disobeyed the orders of the Baron who had saved her, she would lose face in front of him.

That’s why she abandoned chivalry.

She misinterpreted the ‘patriotism’ in loyalty to the lord and love of country. Those living on the land ruled by him were her country.

What if the members changed a little?

As an orphan, she didn’t know the feelings of parents dying for their children.

Also, there was no justification for getting involved in their lives.

Truly contradictory emotions.

And ‘he’ liked those contradictory emotions the most.

Thump!

Her heart beat loudly, even though she wasn’t running.

As sweat trickled down her forehead.

Termia’s gaze turned to the floor.

Could it be……!

“The order to guard was not this place, but to prevent the guy below from coming out?”

The Knight Commander guarding the entrance instinctively sensed it.

That her thoughts were correct.

And that today was her death anniversary.

She felt a sword beneath her.

The edge was so sharp that she worried it might cut not only this territory but even her own body.

In fact, in the sewer, a man who had reached the point of becoming one with the sword, beyond the unity of sword and self, a man who was equal to the sword itself, was breathing heavily.

“……Conditional, huh. It was originally mine, but I don’t like being treated like this, but I’ll forgive it for now.”

“I naturally thought it would be that woman, but why are you coming out from there……?”

“……Ah, right, there was a crazy fanatic here.”

Normally, he would have swung his sword violently at the impious person blocking his path, but the man smiled as he saw the armored knight standing in the way out of the sewer.

Haha, a dry laugh echoed through the sewer.

It also set off alarms in the Knight Commander’s instincts.

Was it because of that?

No sound, not even breathing, could be heard in the vicinity except for him.

Even the common sound of the wind was silenced before him.

In the sewer, the deepest and dirtiest place, paradoxically, the noblest and most exalted being regained his former glory for a moment.

「Sword Saint」 [A title given to those who have reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship].

His existence was the king of all diseases itself.

The king of all weapons, the saint of swords, had awakened in a distant land.

* * *

A long time had passed in the dirty nightmare.

Perhaps the time felt inside was close to a month.

But the actual time in reality…… had about an hour passed? It was hard to be sure, but it had probably been around 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 31 seconds.

“Your ability is more useful than I thought. I’ve tasted many abilities that interfere with dreams or sleep until now, but you’re the first to use it so realistically.”

The ability to extract information by recreating the past through the medium of dreams.

Andre Alphus focused on the advantages of information gathering and trauma stimulation, but from my perspective, having actually experienced it, I liked the ability to ‘recreate the past’ through dreams itself more than those additional benefits.

It was a terrible nightmare, but I was secretly glad to see them again.

Even though it was a dream, when they died, it felt like my heart was collapsing.

But since it was already a broken heart, I could realize that I was dreaming.

I wasn’t even complaining about the same level of mental pain that made me want to die as before.

‘Haha, this must all be because I’ve matured mentally.’

My heart aches, but my indomitable spirit never collapses.

Never.

Instead, I might go crazy.

I could say this with a smile.

“You…… saw it? Didn’t you?”

Saw it, saw it.

My weaknesses that I didn’t want to reveal to others.

He saw it, that guy saw it.

‘Then what should I do?’

A corpse can’t speak, so should I kill him?

No, there are mysteries in this world that can even see souls.

And even I have the ability called 「Yoma Eye」 [An ability to perceive the spiritual realm and hidden truths].

Then should I torture him so he can’t even open his mouth?

Cutting off his tongue and burning the roof of his mouth wouldn’t be bad.

But…… if someone heals him with a high level of healing magic and listens…… I don’t even want to imagine it.

‘Then what.’

There’s only one way left.

Thump, thump.

With each step, the surrounding air becomes heavier.

It’s not just the action of magic.

It’s an extremely simple and easy ability to occupy control of the space by applying the basic principles of domain or sanctuary, and filling it with my killing intent.

“You? What is it? And what’s with that killing intent?”

“What do you mean? I’m indirectly telling you that I want to kill you?”

Whether it’s a demon or a monster.

Everything related to demons must be killed.

The moment the mask controlling me was lifted for a moment, there were no more brakes. My head was full of only reckless rushes like an speeding car.

The consciousness eaten by murderous intent was gradually engulfed in madness.

‘I saw it. I saw it. I forcibly revealed what I wanted to hide. It wasn’t just hearing it from my words, he tried to enter my head directly.’

I have to kill him.

I have to kill him to shut his mouth.

No, I have to annihilate the soul itself and erase the record that he saw my memories from the world.

I have to.

I must crush him from the soul, no matter what.

「Essence Absorption」 [A skill that allows the user to absorb the life force or essence of another being].

The skill I had from the moment I possessed this body.

Because it was based on the spirit (靈) and soul (魄), the constituent principles of which I couldn’t fully understand.

I had been reluctant to use it in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.

But there was no reason to hesitate any longer.

Using a skill whose principles I don’t even know isn’t more important than definitely killing the demon in front of me right now.

“You…… don’t tell me you think you can catch me with something like that?”

Whether she was greatly embarrassed by the current situation.

Or whether she was dumbfounded by the fact that I was trying to catch her with a skill whose proficiency converged to 0, Andre Alphus momentarily forgot her elegant noblewoman act.

“It would be a miscalculation if you thought that.”

“There’s no way.”

“Well, that’s right. That dream was probably just a nightmare that came out of reading some impressive literary novel.”

“This is a net of heaven and earth prepared for any eventuality.”

“I am a noble Baron. You are of a different class…… huh?”

Her fingers pointed to the floor and ceiling.

In the sewer, where the space was not spacious, shadows stretched out.

“This kind of thing.”

When I brought my hand to it, the magical energy was taken away.

However, if I resisted, the shadow would dissipate futilely before it could take away my magical energy.

“A means to catch me?”

I nodded.

“That’s right.”

“Seriously?”

“……There’s no need to mix words any further.”

The sewer had a structure that didn’t allow for easy air circulation.

Because of that, the stench emanating from Andre Alphus was too severe.

The smell of sewage rising from the unpurified sewer was more fragrant.

There was no need to endure any longer.

I was going to eliminate the source of the smell.

「Shunpo」 [A high-speed movement technique].

Surpassing space, extending my hand coated with magical power.

Thwack!

Piercing through her stomach, pulling out her long intestines like sundae [Korean blood sausage].

“Uh……?”

“You happened to skip the parts where I used my skills or abilities. So I judged that if I could close the distance in an instant, I could kill you without much difficulty.”

A movement technique that folds space and runs, Shunpo.

Although the price for the movement technique that distorts space was my ankle, I was able to subdue Andre Alphus without much trouble thanks to it.

Thud, I threw her intestines on the floor and immediately looked up at the ceiling.

The sky is not visible above the blocked sewer.

However, the intense magical power fluctuations and the sharp emotions of the people were clearly felt. It seems I’m a little late while spending time here.

I wanted to get out of the sewer right away, but.

Since I’m already late, it doesn’t matter if I’m a little later.

“Isn’t that right? Status Window.”

I stared blankly at the sky.

In the meantime, several people died.

It was a murder between the old remnants belonging to the reverse side world.

Since there was no reason or value to interfere, I openly condoned their deaths.

Ding!

A blue window popped up with a cheerful sound.

[0.3% remaining until the reverse side world’s progress reaches 50%.]

[Upon achieving 50% or more progress in the reverse side world, you can clear it and break the cursed 「Egg of the End」 by considering it a success of the main scenario!]

What do you want me to do.

I refuse to follow your words any longer.

Until now, I would have pretended to follow you, but behind the scenes, I would have been full of thoughts of how to use you and stab you in the back.

But the face with a layer of mask peeled off prefers to break things rather than doing troublesome things.

Because it’s simpler.

“Do you think I’ll do that if you say that?”

When I stayed still, more people died.

Several bodies were washed into the sewer, but I had little interest in the already dead people and the world.

At that sight of me.

Ding!

[Confirming that the quest has been altered. Adding new conditions.]

[You must save at least 10,000 citizens…….]

Seeing it change in a troublesome way, I was convinced.

At first, I thought something was very strange.

There was knowledge that shouldn’t be in my head, and there were memories that didn’t come to mind.

So I wondered if all of this was Eve’s trick.

[Adding a time limit. Save about 10,000 citizens within 30 minutes…….]

“Hey, you’re not Eve, are you?”

If that girl was going to trick me, she wouldn’t trick me in this way. Because she knows how bad my obsession is.

Eve’s nature is to avoid ways to provoke my anger more than necessary, so the probability that the blue window in front of me is related to her drops dramatically.

[Remaining time: 29 minutes 17 seconds]

[Remaining time: 29 minutes 16 seconds]

Tick tock.

The sound of the clock is heard, creating anxiety.

This kind of complicated thing is not Eve’s taste.

If that bitch is going to hit one shot, she hits it thick and hot [with full force].

She doesn’t act so slyly.

“Do it moderately.”

Tick tock.

[Remaining time: 27 minutes 55 seconds]

[Remaining time: 27 minutes 54 seconds]

“I said do it moderately.”

Tick tock.

[Remaining time: 26 minutes 01 seconds]

[Remaining time: 26 minutes 00 seconds]

Ha, this doesn’t even know the limit and scratches my temper [annoys me].

I, who had no intention of letting it crawl up any further, activated my heart.

The origin of the heart’s beat.

At the same time, the symbol of life.

The role of such a heart was not only to transport blood, but also to transport magical power and to have the duty to accumulate it.

However, because there was too much yang energy (陽罡) [positive, active energy] in my blood vessels, that duty was not being fulfilled. There’s already so much that it’s blocking the blood vessels like cholesterol, so there’s no point in accumulating any more.

If it clumped together any more, it would be no different from a serious level of hyperlipidemia [high cholesterol], so I didn’t even try.

‘But even if I become this kind of body, the heart is a symbol of life…… and will.’

The magical power that flowed through the dantian [energy center in the body] and heart slowly accumulated, growing in size as it ate my will.

Ideation.

The greatest and most ambitious mystery held by martial artists accepted my will and gradually became obese. And because that will was a clear killing intent.

When it was released, it was manifested in the most suitable form.

Heart Equals Murder (心卽殺) [A state where the intent to kill is immediately translated into action].

The noble state of killing others the moment you harbor murderous intent.

It was questionable whether this would work on the system as well.

[The firewall of ‘Status Window (狀態窓)’ is collapsing!]

[…!]

[…!!]

[…!!!]

[The connection with the ‘Main System’ is temporarily suspended.]

At least it worked on the status window.

A sense that something connected to me was fading.

It was neither a good feeling nor a bad feeling.

Scanning the sewer with empty eyes, I thought that no one here would be able to interfere with me.

Extending my right hand to my body.

Crack, crack──!!

Tearing my body.

Muscles were torn, and joints were opened.

The tattered body looked like it would break at any moment, but the owner of the body seemed to be familiar with this sensation.

No, rather, this was not enough.

Quadruple───!!!

I forcibly activated the body hardened by disease.

In the process, there was also an unfortunate event in which the bones were twisted.

The body, filled with true energy in the blood vessels and covered with yang energy, was so broken.

The body is gradually becoming a mess.

However, the more the body broke down, the clearer the mind became, and the instinctive sense of crisis that could lead to death 잠식했다 reason [overwhelmed reason].

“Yeah…… this feeling.”

The same muscles and martial talent as before are no longer in this body.

But that feeling was still vivid, as if I had just felt it.

Yeah, this feeling.

Even if I experienced the sight of my comrades dying again, the pain in my heart was not as bad as before. It was too empty.

However, the moment physical pain was added.

In proportion to the pain felt all over the body, the feeling was more refreshing than ever.

It hurts.

It hurts so much.

Still, this pain was the only thing that was truly me among the many lies I hid behind the mask.

Proof that I still exist as me.

That’s why I could smile even while holding on to the body and mind going crazy from the pain.