Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 72

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius – Episode 72

Killing Stone (2)

B and C-grade skills have their uses.

However, simply being useful isn’t enough to significantly alter the course of a battle.

Especially against an S-grade demon.

Even with A or S-grade skills, creating an advantage against an S-grade demon is difficult.

Where would I even find the magic power to invest in B and C-grade skills…?

Well, here we go.

「Blood Absorption」

Grade: B

Description: A legacy of the ancient vampire race. Its effectiveness has waned over time, but its essence remains. Blood absorption is the foundation and instinct of vampires. Through this ability, you will gradually learn about blood.

*Blood Transfusion

Absorbs blood from others, stealing their magic power. The fresher the blood, the better the quality of magic power absorbed.

*Hemophilia

Infects the target with hemophilia [a condition that prevents blood from clotting], causing continuous bleeding and providing various advantages.

「Blood Absorption」 allows you to absorb magic power through blood and inflict continuous bleeding.

Thanks to the title 「Heir of the Vampire」, the former ability could be activated on blood pooled on the floor without direct contact.

However, the latter had a clear condition: ‘the target from whom blood was absorbed.’

Well, this is pretty bad.

Putting my mouth on dirty skin is one thing, but sinking my teeth into the blood vessels of a fiercely fighting opponent?

How often would I even get the chance to use this in a fight?

「Blood Absorption」 would be a useless skill without the title that allows me to use it on spilled blood.

「Black Mist」

Grade: C

Description: Another legacy of the ancient vampire race. Its effectiveness has diminished, but its essence remains. The bodies of vampires are resistant to cuts from swords or spears. Black mist flows from their wounds, healing the damage. It controls such power, but expecting that level of efficiency would be greedy.

*Dense Fog

A thick, dense black mist envelops the surroundings, disrupting vision, presence, and magic power.

‘This seems more useful than 「Blood Absorption」.’

Disrupting vision, presence, and magic power has limited effect on high-level opponents.

However, the more magic power I invest, the wider and denser the 「Black Mist」 will spread.

If I poured in about 30% of my magic power, I could even deceive the senses of the S-grade demon, Dorudo.

Moreover, the 30% of magic power I used could be replenished by absorbing the blood on the floor.

The skill’s usefulness doesn’t end there.

「Black Mist」 is a simple skill that manipulates mist, a phenomenon caused by water vapor condensing in the atmosphere.

This means I can interfere with the water attribute (水屬性), which is the opposite of my elemental affinity.

This is a C-grade skill?

Given sufficient magic power, it’s as useful as an A-grade skill.

But I had no proficiency yet.

I started by distracting him with a large burst of flames, using my recovered magic power.

「Foxfire」

The cursed flames tightened around his body.

Starting with simple curses like auditory and visual hallucinations and poisoning, the curse gradually began to spread.

Dorudo’s skin began to turn purple and necrotic, but only in small patches.

What? I poured in 20% of my magic power, but why isn’t the curse spreading?

Just as I started to panic, Dorudo confidently gave me a clue.

“It tickles. Is that a curse from a skill? You can’t even slow me down with such typical curses!”

Curse resistance.

Dorudo possessed that extremely rare trait.

I don’t know if it’s an ability he gained as a demon or if he was born with it, but 「Foxfire」 is largely useless in this situation.

This is a first.

I never thought I’d encounter an opponent completely immune to both ‘flame’ and ‘curse,’ the components of 「Foxfire」.

A complete opposite (逆相性) to me.

Before the auction, I might have been helplessly defeated. Even if I won, I might have suffered permanent damage.

In that sense, this fight is fortunate.

I just acquired a new tool.

It’s a bit clumsy since it’s the first time using it in a real battle, but let’s give it a try.

Swoooooosh.

Water droplets formed around me.

The moist droplets spread, transforming into a thick fog.

Perhaps because it’s a dark underground space?

Dorudo, standing in the fog, felt like it was black. But more striking was the fog’s immense range.

“Water attribute magic of this level in a place with no water?!”

“Why is there no water? It’s everywhere.”

“…Could it be?!”

Dorudo’s gaze fell to the floor.

The floor was soaked with the blood of demons and people.

The sticky sound of blood squishing underfoot was gone. It was as if all the blood had evaporated.

Only then did Dorudo realize the nature of the black mist.

“Magic power is mixed in. And the sound is coming from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint your location with my senses. Is it a skill?”

“Yeah, one I just got.”

“Ha! The fog will disappear if I just blow it away.”

In the seemingly dark red fog, Dorudo swung his fist. Even if the fog is this large.

It’s still just water vapor.

What can a pyromancer do against water vapor?

He acted without hesitation, thinking that.

It was a naive move.

If he had realized the fog was a skill made of magic power, he should have protected himself first.

Just before the black mist was blown away by the wind from Dorudo’s fist…

Whoosh!

A high-speed blade severed Dorudo’s wrist.

Shock washed over his face.

“…Huh?”

What?

Using sword with energy (以氣馭劍術) [a technique to control a sword with internal energy]?

No. The cut is too clean for a blade. And there was no metallic sound.

Then, did he wield an element, wind perhaps, as a blade?

A demon doesn’t die from a severed wrist.

He can regenerate it instantly with his self-healing ability.

But only if he’s alive. As long as a high-speed blade could target his neck or heart at any moment.

The situation shifted in Seungwoo’s favor.

“…Could it be.”

Dorudo was demoted from predator to prey.

The leader of the Korean branch of the demon group wasn’t stupid.

He just favored a boxing style, relying on powerful punches.

His analytical skills and situational awareness were considerable.

He reached out into the fog.

The black mist created by gathering water vapor.

When he touched it with his finger.

Slice!

His finger was severed instantly.

A very clean cut.

The same thing that cut off Dorudo’s wrist.

“Ha, did you condense the fog with magic power and apply pressure to shoot out a water pressure blade?”

There was no answer.

But Dorudo was convinced he was right.

Strong water pressure can cut through steel plates.

To Dorudo, the surrounding fog was a battlefield of blades.

The floating fog seemed to ask, ‘Is your body harder than a steel plate?’

In reality, it was.

I planned to cut through his bones with water pressure, even if they were as hard as steel.

‘It doesn’t matter if it’s harder than steel.’

If it’s harder than steel, I just need to increase the water pressure.

Treating the fog like a high-pressure hose with a hardness greater than steel requires a lot of magic power. Even with plenty of magic power, it’s not easy.

But I had no choice.

There are too many civilians to use large-scale fire magic or 「Foxfire」, and it’s a closed underground space, so there won’t be enough oxygen.

My 「Pyrokinesis」 isn’t strong enough to rely on telekinesis. It’s almost impossible to control this wide space with just one telekinetic magic.

Unless I’m Professor Nam Hwayeon.

Above all, Dorudo’s skin has high flame resistance. My flames aren’t strong enough to penetrate it yet.

Fire magic is half-sealed.

It’s pointless to ignite it unless it’s a more elaborate and intense flame than it is now.

It’s just wasting the already scarce oxygen.

That’s why I chose 「Black Mist」.

Although my proficiency is lacking, I have experience navigating many battlefields.

“I never thought I’d have to do this, but.”

Until he was engulfed in black magic.

Dorudo, who lost his wrist to the powerful water pressure, changed greatly in appearance.

Into a form that can no longer be damaged by water pressure.

“Come on, come at me! Now your water pressure won’t even touch a hair on my head.”

“…Wow, he’s even transforming.”

Wow, I couldn’t help but admire Dorudo.

He was practically my nemesis, immune to fire and curses.

Now he’s even transforming?

He really has no conscience.

Of course, I didn’t expect a demon who had abandoned human morality to have a conscience.

Still, there’s a line.

Dorudo, heavily armed with large horns and black armor, completely crossed that line. If this were soccer, the referee would be too scared to call a foul.

“It’s definitely going to be difficult with just my skills.”

“If you knew that, die quietly!!”

Dorudo, armored, confidently blew away the fog.

The water pressure blade was deflected by the armor before it could even cut through his flesh and bones. It’s really damn hard.

I would have been more advantageous if he didn’t have that armor.

While feeling regret, I had a brilliant idea.

He’s wearing armor, so why don’t I wear something too?

Just before Dorudo completely cleared the fog, I finished tearing open the boxes under the manager.

The effects of the poisonous herb haven’t stopped yet.

The brain, analyzing the situation in conjunction with the genius of 「Magical Talent」 without being disturbed by pain, once again derived the best choice.

That is.

“Huh? What’s with that skinny and hideous hand? Are you begging for help?”

“My hands are too hideous, so I’m going to decorate them with rings.”

“Wait, what are those rings on your fingers…?!!”

It’s all about the items.

[You have equipped ‘Ring of Fertility’.]

[Your health has increased by two levels!]

[You have equipped ‘Choir Earrings’ !]

[Your durability has increased by two levels!]

[You have equipped ‘Andvaranaut’……!]

……

[You have equipped ‘Ring of the Master’. In exchange for two levels of durability, your health increases by three levels!]

[You have equipped ‘Ring of Covenant’. With ‘Invincibility (不敗) [unyielding]’ as your covenant, your senses increase by one level!]

[If you allow even one defeat, the ‘Ring of Covenant’ will permanently cloud one level of your senses according to the covenant.]

I wore nine rings, earrings, and necklaces.

The moment I equipped the hundreds of millions of won worth of items I got from this auction, I felt much lighter and stronger.

Even spending money like this is nothing compared to my prime. But I had enough power to kill the armored pig in front of me.

I put on the gloves I had taken off again so the rings wouldn’t fall off.

In the meantime, fragments and powder of the Killing Stone scattered on the floor caught my eye.

Oh, these precious things.

I wish there was a way to use them.

Should I blow away the powder and then throw 「Foxfire」 to cause a dust explosion? As I seriously pondered and touched the powder and fragments.

─A technique that applies pressure to water to handle water itself as a high-speed blade. Hmm, it’s not a bad idea, but the method is wrong. You’ve twisted the formula (式) [method/equation] too unnecessarily.

Suddenly, I heard a voice calling me.

The sound was too clear to dismiss as an auditory hallucination.

It’s an old expression, but is this what the voice of a noble lady sounds like?

─Your face is somewhat presentable, but your skills are disappointing. To have a good skill for playing with fire but not be able to handle it. Don’t you know that fire and curses require a clear vessel and price? That’s not how you do it.

……I guess the voice is talking to me, right?

Why is the lecture so long?