Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 74

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 74

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius Episode 74

Killing Stone (4)

“Were you, uh, alive too?”

“Of course, I was. Haha, who knew I’d be tangled up with those Mado [Demon Path practitioners] at my age? You live and learn.”

“Oh, chairmen! What are you doing there? It’s dangerous, please come down.”

In the half-destroyed auction house, two old men in suits walked across the collapsed floor, dragging their canes.

Behind them, a bewildered-looking bodyguard approached.

The old men continued their conversation, unfazed by the approaching bodyguard.

“Don’t worry about that. Even if the Mado attack again, those kids will take care of them.”

“That’s right. They look like they’re the same age as my granddaughter, but they’re already taking down Mado at that age. Judging by the embroidery on their shirts, they must be students fostered by Chilseong [Seven Stars Academy]. The future of this country is bright.”

“That’s true. How about we donate as a thank you for saving our lives this time?”

“That’s a good idea. If those kids learn with better teaching materials, it won’t hurt us old men. I’ll tell Secretary Kim to make sure they get plenty of scholarship money as soon as I get to the office.”

“Heh heh… I’ll have to put in twice as much to keep up.”

The old men exchanged words and chuckled quietly.

They came to the auction house for a stroll, since the national treasure of the Waeguk [derogatory term for Japan] was said to be coming to this land. It’s a shame they missed the treasure, but they witnessed something more valuable than the Killing Stone.

If those kids grow up to be players who protect this country from dungeons, monsters, and Mado, what greater national treasure could there be?

So that such students don’t have a hard time due to lack of money, the old men discussed donations. Meanwhile, another old man, with his head bowed, was secretly picking something up from the floor while wearing gloves.

The old man, already hunched over, didn’t mind getting dust on his clothes as he collected some white powder from the floor.

He put both large and small fragments into his bag along with the powder.

After collecting all the powder and fragments from the floor, the old man’s face brightened, but only for a moment.

Suddenly, someone reached out and snatched the bag containing the powder and fragments.

“Who dares to take my bag…!!”

“Oh? Were you picking up my Killing Stone for me?”

“…Huh?!”

“Oh, I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

The old man turned around, furious, and was instantly startled.

The white powder he had been collecting in his bag was the stone dust that had spread when the Killing Stone exploded.

He had been secretly trying to take it, carefully storing the fragments in his 「Subspace Bag」 [a magical bag with extra-dimensional storage].

But to have the owner reveal himself and snatch the bag only after he had collected all the powder and fragments…

From the old man’s perspective, it was more than just startling; it was enough to make him blush.

“You were in seat number 3, right? Thank you for finding my things.”

“If, if you’re thankful, how about a piece of the fragment….”

“Haha, you’re funny. Let’s just say this is my reward for saving your life.”

“Wh, what did you say…?”

“Weren’t you going to die if I hadn’t been there?”

You would have died if it weren’t for me.

The blunt and concise truth made the face of the old man in seat number 3 stiffen.

It was amusing to see him trembling, unsure of what to say.

I waved my hand, saying thank you roughly, and moved away.

As I walked, I realized that this bag had [Space Expansion] magic and [Weight Reduction] magic cast on it. And to a considerable extent.

I wondered where all the Killing Stone went; it was all here.

This is something.

‘Living kindly has brought me good fortune.’

I never expected to receive such a good bag.

Fortune has come in quite a big way.

I can put the items I got from the auction in here.

As I walked around, not hiding my delight, I was soon surrounded by people. I wondered if it was the old man from seat number 3’s doing, but everyone’s demeanor and posture were too respectful for that.

“Are you Baek Ga’s, Baek Gaju [Family Head]?”

“Excuse me, old men. Do you know me?”

“Huh? Aren’t you the young Gaju [Family Head] of the Cheonho Baek family?”

“That’s right, but haven’t we all met for the first time today…?”

“When you get to this age, you get better at reading people. Especially when it comes to money. How could we not know the family that controls the country’s medical care and medicine?”

“Haha, that’s right! More than anything, who else has such a handsome face other than the Gaju [Family Head] of the Cheonho Baek family? Even if our eyes are dim, what shines still shines.”

The people burst into hearty laughter as a group.

Perhaps because they are all wealthy people who handle a lot of money,

their observational skills are top-notch. Even though most of them have dim eyes.

They seem to miss nothing when it comes to money.

‘They are all ordinary people far from being transcendents. Have they come to me only with the keen senses they have honed in the industry for a long time?’

In a way, everyone in this place was like a fox.

I may be a real fox, but they were people who hid fox-like greed inside. However, they are foxes who have stopped moving forward due to their age and are lying in their places.

Perhaps, even as they get older, they will continue to fatten themselves in their seats, growing slowly so as not to lose their positions to their descendants. There may already be giant foxes.

If I express it this way, they might seem like bad people.

But I was rather wanting these kinds of people.

People who crave things like money, fame, and power, so-called greedy people.

Where else can you find people who are as easy to employ and handle, and as outstanding as these people?

It seems like I’ve made good connections today.

It’s truly a day full of good things.

My body hurts quite a bit from being hit by Dorudo, but thanks to that, my status window has changed spectacularly.

I gave a rough farewell to the people who said they would definitely repay my kindness and murmured quietly to check my status window.

“Status Window.”

===

「Name: Baek Seung-woo」

「Age: 21」

「Race: Three-Tailed Fox (三尾狐)」

「Title: Successor of the Vampire」

「Rank: ——」

「Status Condition: Solar Meridian Blockage」

「Magic Dao Saint(魔道聖) [Saint of the Demonic Path]」, 「Beauty that傾國之色 [Can overthrow a kingdom]」, 「False Bravado(虛張聲勢)」

「HP: D+ (B-)」 「Strength: E+ (C)」

「Endurance: E+ (D+)」 「Agility: D (C+)」

「Mana: A+ (S-)」 「Sense: S (S+)」

*Due to the ‘Ring of Strength’, Strength has increased by two stages.

*Due to the ‘Ring of Fertility’, HP has increased by two stages.

*Due to the ‘Wheel of Joy’, Agility has increased by one stage.

*Due to the ‘Choir’s Earring’, Endurance has increased by two stages.

*Due to the ‘Ring of Covenant’, Sense has increased by one stage.

……

「Charm (S)」, 「Foxfire (A)」, 「Yoma Eye (A)」, 「Essence Absorption (A)」, 「Blood Absorption (B)」, 「Triple Helix (B)」, 「Black Mist (C)」, 「Weakness Resistance Delay (E+)」

===

It’s so abundant that the status window doesn’t even fit in one screen anymore. Various skills and traits.

Above all, the increased stats caught my eye.

Stats above C-grade, which is the average for first-year students.

Ah, of course, in the case of Endurance, which is relatively less prioritized among the six stats, I intentionally lowered it by two stages using the 「Ring of the Master」.

Instead, I raised HP, which can be seen as the center of all stats, by three stages, so it was a great gain.

“Now I can handle most close combat.”

I may not be able to wield swords and spears as flamboyantly as Seong Yeon-hwa or Seo Yerin, but depending on the situation, I can take the damage and show a certain level of skill.

In particular, the ‘S+’ stat of Sense, which is a high number, will wholeheartedly assist me in the process.

The ‘S+’ grade is the limit of stats that only a handful of players around the world, even rankers and high rankers, can reach.

Although there was a price to pay for promising invincibility as a covenant through the 「Ring of Covenant」, a thing outside of myself, in the process of reaching it.

‘The risks were not small, as the benefits were great.’

The 「Ring of Covenant」 is an artifact that ‘unconditionally’ raises even an S-grade stat by one stage, depending on the level of the covenant made by the owner.

I promised [Invincibility] as a covenant to raise my S-grade Sense to S+. A promise not to lose in any situation.

It is both a blessing and a curse. If I lose even once, it will dull my senses by one stage.

A covenant with permanent stat degradation as the price.

It’s brutally harsh, but well, it’s fine as long as I don’t lose.

Right next to me, I have reliable students who can do their part. They are all students with the talent to master my lessons during battle.

This is why everyone says Chilseong Academy is the best.

There is a reason for the reputation.

Everyone had many changes.

Noh Yura incorporated my footwork into her skills and movements, giving her the speed and technique to be superior to others in performing the ranger’s reconnaissance mission.

Isis interpreted the formula of my 「Double Helix」 in her own way, allowing her to handle ice magic more delicately and precisely. Some of the ice was so precise that it still hadn’t melted, chilling the temperature of the auction house.

Seo Yerin was able to wield her spear with each nuance contained within, and when I glanced at her from afar, she was wielding a spear composed of sacred light.

Judging by her appearance, she seems to have awakened her divine power.

In my memory, she awakened her divine power after converting to religion, so I wondered if she had converted to religion during the fight.

Seong Yeon-hwa stepped into the realm of perfection and Samhwa Chwijeong [Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown], more than capable of doing her part as a martial artist, and finally reached Ogi Jowon [Five Energies Returning to the Origin] at the young age of 17. I can say with certainty that this is my specialty.

She’s a real genius.

At this rate, she will surely be recorded as one of the fastest-growing martial artists in the history of this world.

She will soon be able to secure a great position in her hometown, [Martial Arts World].

Lee Ji was not here today because of her part-time job.

There’s only one left.

If you ask who the student who has grown the most today is.

“……Isabel.”

It’s this girl.

A rude brat who constantly tries to challenge me.

I wanted to give her a stern education, but there were too many mistakes my body had made against Isabel, so I couldn’t bring myself to do it. But if I tried to educate her, I could have educated her at any time.

“Huh? Did you call me?”

She has changed as of today.

“……It’s nothing.”

“What, how boring.”

Isabel replied to my answer in a dumbfounded tone.

Up to this point, it was no different from usual.

Yes, purely from the conversation, but the atmosphere itself that made up the conversation had changed completely from before.

In particular, the quality and level of mana floating around Isabel had changed.

It seems that her momentum has been greatly refined, considering that she has only gained one enlightenment.

Did she take a leap to a new realm with this attack as an opportunity?

Whatever the case, it’s a good thing that she’s gotten stronger quickly.

……I should think positively, but.

Her growth rate that I see is abnormal.

If we were at the same level until now, this girl has now far surpassed me in terms of realm.

‘……Is this even possible.’

I will still be above Isabel in terms of combat.

In the first place, she is a magician aiming for research, and I am a magician focused on combat and killing, so the difference in combat capabilities is bound to be large.

But I felt that she now had the power to fill that gap.

Something.

Something is wrong.

I asked a question to resolve my doubts.

“……Hey, Isabel.”

“Why? Are you going to do something boring again?”

“No, it’s not that… Did you by any chance reach that place?”

I expressed it indirectly as ‘that place’.

That realm is quite sensitive for magicians.

It’s close enough to seem like you can reach it if you work hard, but it’s a realm that’s hard to even touch the tip of your toe even if you spend your whole life.

“That place?”

“I mean the Sanctuary.”

A magician above a certain level can build their own [Sanctuary(聖域)] [Sacred Domain].

Within the sanctuary, the level of all traits, skills, and magic rises by one stage, giving all attacks abilities comparable to a one-hit kill.

In fact, it can be seen as dominating the space itself.

It is truly a supreme realm.

That’s why it’s not a place that anyone can reach.

“Sanctuary, there’s no way I could have already reached the realm where my grandmother or Professor Nam Hwa-yeon are.”

“Considering that, your momentum has completely changed.”

“Oh my, how did you notice that? I wish you had reacted like that when I braided my hair prettily when I was little.”

“Ahem…….”

“It’s not a reaction I like, but it’s not bad. It’s obvious, but your reasoning is wrong. Instead, I have reached the point of building my own domain. Although it’s incomplete because it was made impromptu on the spot.”

Many magicians learn magic, create their own magic, establish their own subjectivity, and establish their own worldview.

What they reach is [Sanctuary].

However, there was one step to go through in the process.

That is [Domain].

The domain is the stage right below the sanctuary, and there are several difficulties compared to the sanctuary. The limit to which the level of magic can rise, and the possibility of domain seizure from others are the typical examples.

If I say it like this, the domain only looks bad, but that’s only when compared to the sanctuary.

The domain is treated as an impregnable fortress just by its existence, and although there are more magicians who can handle it than the sanctuary, only a very small number of magicians can still handle it.

According to official documents listed in the Player Association, there are 7 magicians who can declare a sanctuary and 100 who can declare a domain.

A very small number.

Of course, this is only the number of magicians listed in the association.

If you include reclusive eccentrics or magicians who have turned into Mado, it’s about twice as much. Still a small number.

“You really built a domain? Then do you know what kind it is? What’s the effect? I heard the range varies greatly from person to person, how about you?”

“Oh my…….”

I was so surprised that I forgot my relationship with her and asked again.

This question was a curiosity that came from the heart.

Unlike the sanctuary, which is deployed by declaring it, the domain is largely divided into two types.

The first is the method of declaring it, just like the sanctuary, and it is called domain declaration(領域宣布) [Yeong-yeok Seonpo]. Within the declared domain, the caster has an advantage over others in all types of authority.

To put it simply, it can be explained by saying that efficiency, power, and speed are ahead of other magicians.

The second method is called domain deployment(領域展開) [Yeong-yeok Jeon-gae], which deploys one’s own domain through a single magic as a medium.

In this case, the abilities that can be used within the domain are limited to the magic that became the medium of the domain, but by summoning some of the one-hit kill and causality manipulation and reversal abilities of the sanctuary, it surpasses domain declaration in terms of power.

To put it simply, domain declaration allows for various activities, and domain deployment is specialized only for combat.

Both are dream realms that magicians want to reach.

As someone who has just started learning magic, I was very curious about what kind of domain she had obtained.

Just by observing her domain, I, who still have immature intuition and worldview about magic, will be able to receive a lot of inspiration.

As I unknowingly approached her out of intellectual curiosity, Isabel covered her mouth with her hand.

At the same time as covering her mouth, she was covering her eyes, and she was making a subtle expression. Her lips were moving faintly between her fingers, what is she saying.

‘This…… is not bad……. What exactly is not bad?’

Isabel muttering to herself.

I, who have learned lip reading, am inferring Isabel’s muttering while reading her lips, but I missed the most important part because her hand was faintly covering her mouth.

No, what is she muttering to herself while talking?

I wanted to ask, but knowing Isabel’s personality, I didn’t think she would answer willingly even if I asked.

So I had no choice but to infer her muttering based on her movements and expressions. So I stared intently at Isabel’s face… Huh?

A faint blush and expression are evidence of shyness and joy.

But her faintly twisted lips were denying it.

A situation where affirmation and negation are revealed on one face at the same time.

I didn’t have the talent to read faces, so all I could do was just watch her subtle expression.

But.

‘Has she always been exuding this kind of atmosphere?’

If she had a cold yet somewhat wistful part whenever she faced me until now, now a sticky feeling was lingering in my mind.

How should I express it, like falling into a mud puddle?

A strange feeling and atmosphere of unknown cause was lingering around her.

Could there have been a mental influence in the process of building her own worldview while building the [Domain]?

Just as I was starting to feel uneasy.

Isabel, who smiled brightly, came to me.

One step, and another step.

Considering the distance I had with her, Isabel, who had come closer to me than I could have imagined, raised herself on her tiptoes and brought her mouth to my ear.

Of course, I couldn’t avoid her mouth. Because the sticky feeling that grabbed my ankle was engulfing me.

In response, I instinctively looked down at my legs.

There were only black shoes and pants of the same color as usual.

But…… why does the color black look so sticky today.

“You asked me to tell you about the domain earlier, right?”

“Ah, uh, yeah. Th, that’s right. I did.”

“Ehem──.”

With a voice that covered her mouth again, she whispered in my ear.

I invested all my nerves in the sense of incongruity that wrapped around my ankle, and for a moment, I spat out an awkward answer like a broken machine to the timbre that I heard in my ear.

What, has her voice always been this sticky?

It’s not just a sticky voice. A stickiness with a sweet feeling like jelly.

That’s exactly what it felt like.

I turned my head, wondering if she could make this kind of voice, and the moment I looked at her whispering in my ear.

“─It’s a secret.”

“Uh, huh? What’s a secret?”

“I’m not going to tell you about my domain. After all, you’re my ex-fiancé who dumped me.”

Strangely, only the timbre of her voice increased in the ‘ex’ part.

It wasn’t just her voice that was getting strange. The atmosphere with her also became strange. It was a moment when I was seriously wondering if there was such a description in the novel I had heard from Eve.

Click, a man in a suit came in with the sound of opening the door and said to me.

“The manager says he will come to treat VIP number 18. I will guide you.”

“Ah, yes. I understand. Let’s go now.”

One of the many attendants who surrounded me at the auction.

I immediately accepted his words.

I couldn’t recall or understand the cause of the strange atmosphere with Isabel right now with my memory.

I needed time now.

Time to recall and think about the conversation with Eve.

In that sense, the attendant helped me at the right time.

He was just scratching the back of his neck, perhaps because the back of his neck was itchy, unlike his position as an attendant. His unpleasant expression was a bonus, as if something sticky was묻은 [묻은 means ‘stained’].

After that, I left the place following his guidance.

“……Too bad. I don’t know when the next opportunity will come.”

Only a voice that I couldn’t tell whose it was echoed emptily in the auction house.