Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 16

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 16

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius 16

Wizard Hunter (1)

Suddenly abandoning defense and leaning entirely on offense.

I couldn’t exploit the obvious openings, not knowing what abilities he possessed. The moment I targeted those gaps, I would create openings for myself.

And it was clear the man would seize those openings to inflict a fatal wound.

There was no reason to make a disadvantageous move.

Therefore, I focused solely on defense.

“You… you know what abilities I have?”

It seemed he noticed.

Well, I was being too obvious.

Even the most meticulous person wouldn’t try to expose a single moment of weakness like I was.

They wouldn’t ignore the opponent’s openings and focus only on defense.

Well, not that defensive movements are bad.

Defeating the opponent is important, but so is protecting oneself.

Unless you can see the future, neglecting defense could lead to disaster.

Yes, ‘unless you can see the future’.

Conversely, if you can see the future, you can focus on attacking without worry.

“You’re the first one to figure it out so quickly.”

It wasn’t that I figured it out quickly.

I just knew it from the start.

His ability was described as ridiculously overpowered in the story.

The ability to glimpse the near future, 10 seconds to 1 minute ahead, 「Ten Mile Eyes」[a skill that allows the user to see events a short time into the future].

Even if he couldn’t see a thousand miles, the ability to see the future ten miles away gave him wings. It allowed him to avoid all critical hits and gain an advantage in battle, and in emergencies, it was useful for finding the best escape route.

An ability without weaknesses.

That’s why even the protagonist couldn’t handle him in the early stages.

It wasn’t until the protagonist had grown significantly in the mid-section and was prepared for mutual destruction that he could finally defeat him.

“Hmm, do you have a similar ability to mine?”

He seemed to be under some strange delusion.

There was no need to correct him, so I remained silent.

“Then I’ll have to play similarly.”

In the meantime, he seemed to have come to some conclusion while talking to himself.

The man pulled a gun from his waist. A small, black pistol.

It was clearly modified, but it didn’t look particularly powerful. I could easily block bullets with 「Pyrokinesis」[the ability to control fire with one’s mind].

That was a naive thought.

Bang! A loud gunshot rang out, and a bullet flew towards me.

Without panicking, I raised my magic to create a wall of fire. Enough physical force to stop a pistol, even a sniper rifle.

But the bullet pierced the barrier.

It didn’t collide with the barrier and destroy it. It simply passed through as if nothing was there.

The wall of fire was still burning fiercely.

“What the hell…?”

Realizing it wasn’t an ordinary gun, I immediately backed away.

Fortunately, it didn’t have a homing function, and it couldn’t even keep up with my low agility. But that was a fatal mistake.

Whoosh! The sound of wind slicing through the air as a sword aimed for my neck.

Instinctively, I spread flames to block it like a shield, but I was pushed back.

“…Ugh.”

Perhaps because I instinctively cast magic without calculation.

The magic distribution wasn’t right. I wasted five times more magic than the output.

And with 「Solar Meridian Severance」[a technique that disrupts the flow of magic], using magic in succession was already no easy task.

Blood, instead of saliva, pooled in my mouth. My body was weak to begin with, and the impact had damaged one of my internal organs.

Sigh, haah. I calmed my body with breathing.

My body was already lacking oxygen. I had caused a firestorm and moved my body vigorously, making my head spin.

Bang!

Bang!

But the opponent didn’t give me a break.

He mercilessly fired his gun. I couldn’t block it by creating barriers or shields.

Didn’t I just see it?

Somehow, the gun was penetrating tangible flames. I had no choice but to desperately dodge.

While moving backward with footwork, I simultaneously calculated magic. It wasn’t an ordinary feat.

It was listed in textbooks as Moving Casting, a highly advanced skill.

“Oh ho, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a magic caster move with their body like that.”

The man was impressed by the sight and admired it even while fighting.

I had no reason or mental capacity to respond to his words, so I focused solely on magic. Moving Casting was by no means easy.

My eyes had to scan the battlefield and the opponent, and my feet had to move constantly. In the meantime, my mind had to predict the escape route and calculate the magic.

I was doing all those actions simultaneously.

An ordinary assistant instructor would have messed up at least one of them.

Fortunately, I had a lot of war experience, so it was relatively easier.

My body remembered how to move in such chaotic battles.

Then, I added one more clever trick.

If I did it right, it was a move that could overcome this situation.

Whoosh, I created a flame in my right hand and unleashed it.

My wrist was as thin as a dry tree, but it was surrounded by flames.

The opponent laughed at the sight.

The man didn’t seem to want to dodge. He was willing to endure my attack to counterattack.

How painful could it be to be hit by that thin arm?

His right hand, holding the pistol, slowly rose.

Regardless of how the opponent acted, I clenched my fist.

A flimsy fist that didn’t match his large height. Even an elementary school student wouldn’t care about being hit by such a fist.

That’s why this attack would be effective.

Smirk, the corners of my lips curved upward. Only then did the opponent realize something was wrong.

He hurriedly began to dodge, but my fist had already reached his abdomen.

콰과과광────!

A sound like something exploding was heard.

The source of the sound was the end of my fist. The man flew far away as soon as he was hit by my fist.

He crashed into a building and rolled on the ground before finally stopping.

His skin was torn and covered in blood, but he got up without any internal injuries, proving that I had inflicted a critical hit.

A critical hit at last. Rather than being happy about that fact, I clutched my right hand in agony.

The blow that sent the man flying.

It wasn’t something I could do with my current physical abilities. But I endured the recoil and threw my fist.

The result was this. My right wrist was severely swollen, and the joints in my fingers were broken.

I could fix it, but at least I wouldn’t be able to use my right arm until this fight was over.

“Haha, so you weren’t just a magic caster, but a proper martial artist. This was my mistake.”

The man said as he walked over.

There was no limp in his movements. As if he hadn’t suffered a critical hit.

Hah, I swallowed my curses and glared at him.

I definitely felt the impact. The impact of breaking bones and bursting internal organs.

I thought I could at least block his movements.

The man, noticing my gaze, took something out of his pocket. It was a crushed necklace.

Only then did I understand the situation.

“[Necklace of Protection]. It’s a disposable item that’s rated S-class, but its performance is definitely reliable.”

That necklace had absorbed the damage.

It was unfair. I sacrificed my right arm to inflict a critical hit, but he nullified it with an item. How disgustingly unfair.

But what could I do? That’s reality.

“Do you know how many items I’ve collected over decades of mercenary work?”

“…So what? Are you showing off?”

“Haha, don’t be so prickly. I was hoping you’d take a look.”

The man was holding something dangling in his hand.

The sword and pistol I had just faced. The green talisman that ignored my magic. And finally, that damn necklace.

If I wasn’t mistaken, those were all artifacts.

And quite high-grade ones at that, items that were worth whatever you asked for.

“These are all my treasures. They’re a bit lower grade than my best treasure, but they’re still at least S-class.”

S-class was the highest grade you could get through normal means.

There were even higher grades, but those were so rare that they were hard to find even on the black market.

You could think of it as the only last line you could get with money.

Anyway, one question arose from the man’s words.

If he had items above S-class, that meant he had even higher grades.

My eyes turned to the man’s pistol.

“Oh, you recognize it? You have a good eye. The bullet in here is a Tale-class.”

Tale. It was the inherent power that the weapon itself possessed.

Depending on the depth and level of the power, the weapon could be praised as a saga or legend.

To use such a weapon.

I was beyond angry at the unexpected item advantage, and I felt a sense of self-disgust.

I should have prepared a B-class or A-class weapon in advance.

I never thought I’d be fighting in the protagonist’s place.

“Are you upset? But don’t be too discouraged. I only have 100 of these bullets, so I cherish them.”

He used as many as ten bullets.

On a scholar with no martial fame.

That was enough to be proud of.

“But I’ll send you to your end with this sword.”

It’s a waste to use bullets.

Swish, the sword made a chilling cry. Even though it had just cut through flames, there wasn’t a single scorch mark on the blade.

It was quite a masterpiece.

I thought as I felt the man getting closer.

Ah, replacing the protagonist is quite a difficult task.

When I first thought I would take responsibility, I wasn’t too worried. I was used to these chaotic battles and struggles.

It was just the thought of dying that was painful.

But now I can confidently say it.

I really made the worst choice.

Replacing the protagonist? I don’t think that’s even possible.

“Now I can’t even afford to be picky.”

As I mumbled blankly, a chilling sensation aimed for my neck. It was a terrifying killing intent.

The man, who had entered my range, swung his sword widely.

I looked at the man’s posture and recalled.

The man officially appeared in the story in the mid-section. And that was after he became a demon.

The man who had become a demon, surpassing the various abilities of humans.

He stimulated the protagonist’s trauma and cornered him.

I don’t know why he isn’t a demon yet, but that fact was a green light for me.

It meant that he hadn’t abandoned his human heart and had weaker powers than a demon. I would exploit that part.

His emotional side.

“Now, goodbye. It was quite fun.”

“Can you say that in front of your daughter?”

“What…?”

“No. It’s been a long time since you abandoned your name, so you probably don’t care about your daughter.”

Emotionally provoking the opponent’s weak spot.

It was quite a cowardly act.

But what wouldn’t I do to survive?

Haha, I didn’t expect him to react to his name.

Is it because he hasn’t completely abandoned his humanity? It’s funny to see him blushing.

“Yuren Spielberg. That’s your name, right?”

“…That name. Where did you hear it from?”

“Why, did you think I heard it from Ailee Spielberg?”

Ailee is the only person who knows the wizard hunter’s real name.

That is his only family, his daughter.

I don’t remember the details.

At least I remembered that the reason he wanted to become a demon was for his daughter. I could have known more information if I had read the novel.

Too bad.

“Ah, there’s no way Ailee would betray me. There’s no way that child would do that!”

The man who turned his back on the name Yuren Spielberg and lived his whole life as a mercenary.

The man who wanted to live the rest of his life as a demon screamed.

His mind was consumed by the delusion that his daughter, the only one who knew his old name, might have betrayed him, and he was feeling extreme despair, rather than the fact that his old name had been revealed.

“…No. There’s no way.”

Yuren paused for a moment.

Thinking about it, there was no need to be so frustrated.

He could just check it himself.

He calmed his mind.

Soon, he emitted an intense killing intent towards me and raised his sword.

“My name. I’ll definitely find out how you found out. Even if I have to tear your brain apart.”

Oh, he had that ability too.

I only knew about Ten Mile Eyes, I didn’t know he had that ability too.

I let out a hollow laugh at the sight.

‘I wonder if I provoked him too much.’

Emotionally touching him.

Thanks to that, I bought enough time to recover.

However, the opponent’s momentum began to pierce the sky.

If I made a mistake, I would really die.

Now I really can’t afford to be picky.

To survive, I had to jump into the fire.

Not a metaphor, but literally.

Bang, Yuren, who kicked off the ground, took out a fountain pen from his pocket.

A fountain pen with a pure white feather. He broke it with two fingers, and his speed noticeably increased.

It was an item with a powerful [Haste] magic.

I widened my eyes and watched him approach, and just before the sword reached me.

Whoosh, I created a huge wall of fire to block his path.

A bright red wall of fire.

The barrier created with 「Pyrokinesis」 was thick and hot. But Yuren didn’t slow down even when faced with the wall.

He simply put his sword back into its sheath and drew it out in an instant.

Iaido [a Japanese martial art focused on drawing and striking with a sword in one motion].

With that, a powerful gust of wind blew away the wall of fire.

Yuren charged like an angry bull.

He casually broke through the wall of fire.

That’s why he didn’t notice the faint purplish-red color deep inside the bright red wall.

It was said that bulls couldn’t calm down when they saw red.

Although it has now been revealed to be false, Yuren’s appearance was like a bull. He was excited and charged even after seeing the red barrier.

Not knowing it was a trap.

화르르르르륵─────!!!

A huge flame approached like a wall.

The flames aimed for Yuren’s side.

This time too, he was going to break through with his sword.

“What is that…”

If only the color of the flame wasn’t a gruesome purplish-red.

His pupils dilated, and 「Ten Mile Eyes」 showed the way.

None.

There was no way out.

There was no way to avoid it.

The purple flames brushed past Yuren in an instant.

The flames brushed diagonally against his side. It stung, but there was no great pain.

It felt cool for a burn.

A cool sensation rather than hot.

Only then did Yuren realize something was wrong. He was brushed by flames, but it was eerie and cool?

He hurriedly took out a blue bottle from his pocket, but.

The pain had already begun.

“Ugh, Kuaaaaaaack!”

Something black spread widely along the affected area.

He quickly realized it was a curse, but it wasn’t easy to undo.

If it was just one or two things, it would be different.

Paralysis, poisoning, fire poison, and so on.

Dozens of curses began to bind Yuren’s body.

I laughed loudly at the sight.

Of course, my vision was blurry because I was also cursed.

But his agonizing appearance was quite enjoyable to watch.

That’s what you get for recklessly charging.

“…Ha, haha. With that, how can you save your daughter?”

A faint smile on his face.

I smiled happily at the thought that I had finally landed a good blow.

However, the flames burning behind me became the background, making it look like a grotesque smile.

Yuren’s eyes were bloodshot and glared at me with a crazy look.

That’s what you get for recklessly charging.