All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 77

◈ Chapter 77

39. The Monster Has Come – 1

Kirke confirmed the presence of black magic.

At his words, Haryun stared at Ian.

“If that’s true, we’re in trouble.”

“Why?”

“Well, I’m a mage registered with the Magic Tower, so I have a duty to intervene and investigate anything related to black magic.”

“Our Order of the Moon cannot condone black magic either. Black magic involves sacrifices, including live ones.”

And those live sacrifices include people.

Therefore, black magic is not something to be taken lightly.

But Ian was different.

He didn’t belong to the Magic Tower, nor was he a believer of the Order of the Sun or Moon.

To the question of whether he needed to get involved in unnecessary matters, Ian shook his head.

“I don’t mind.”

Haryun was relieved at that statement.

Somehow, it felt more reassuring than having the academy instructors or the Magic Tower mages supporting them.

“Then let’s go up. Priest Aout, where did you sense the aura of black magic?”

“The third floor.”

“Then let’s go straight to the third floor.”

According to the blueprints, there were no security spells on the second floor.

So, skipping the second floor, the three of them went up the stairs.

-Creak… Creeeak…

The unpleasant sound of wood continued.

Aout took out his Divine Mark, and Haryun prepared his magic.

“Hey, Haryun. I know, but…”

“I know. I can’t use big magic. And not fire-based magic either.”

This building was old.

If they used magic carelessly, the spells on the facilities could go wild, causing the entire building to collapse or burn down.

“Good if you know.”

As Kirke reported, Ian also sensed something.

Aout seemed to feel uneasy as well, focusing more on his prayers.

Thus, the three entered the third-floor hallway and discovered ghosts carrying ominous energy.

-Kkyaaaa!

-Kkyaaaaaaa~

-Kkieeeek!!

The ghosts, screaming horribly and holding blood-dripping daggers, phased through the hallway.

Then, one of them sensed Ian’s group and turned its head grotesquely.

-Crack. Crack.

Tears of blood streamed from the eyes of the head that had turned 180 degrees.

“Damn it! The Banshee is wailing!!”

When a Banshee, one of the undead monsters, wails, all the undead around it are strengthened.

Knowing that they had to stop it before that happened, Haryun was about to use magic when…

“Stop!!”

Ian’s roar erupted.

The exorcising shout, one of the skills learned from the Shaolin sect of the Mount Continent [a fictional martial arts technique], echoed.

The shock caused the Banshee to unknowingly swallow its wail.

“What did you do?”

“I stopped it from wailing. Now, let’s catch them.”

Perhaps due to the aftermath of the Lion’s Roar, the surrounding Banshees were disoriented.

Seeing this, Aout quickly raised his Divine Mark.

“May those who died under the moonlight return to ash!!”

Strong divine power poured from the Divine Mark.

While Ian absorbed the moon’s energy contained within it, the Banshees disappeared.

-Aaaaaah…

-Wooooooo…

-Kkihaaaaak!! Heeheehee!!

But perhaps because of the divine power Aout emitted?

Ghosts and Banshees began to gather from the closed laboratories on the third floor.

At least dozens of them harbored hostility.

Looking around at them, Ian pointed to one side.

“Hey, Haryun. Isn’t that an academy student uniform?”

“Huh?”

Haryun stared intently at one of the hazy ghosts.

As Ian said, it was true.

One ghost.

No, it wasn’t just one.

“More than five?!”

Ghosts are undead monsters that are created when people die.

A characteristic is that they retain the clothes they wore when they died, and some of the ghosts here were wearing academy student uniforms.

“Saints! Physical attacks won’t work on them! Blessings…”

“Everyone, close your eyes.”

At Ian’s words, Haryun and Aout closed their eyes tightly.

At that moment, immense light erupted from his sword.

Heavenly Demon Art, Chapter of the Sun.

Halo.

Isn’t it said that ghosts cannot use their power under the sun?

The sunlight that dispels darkness swept away the Banshees and Ghosts in an instant.

-Kkyaaaa…

A single, low death cry was the end.

Ian sheathed his sword, returning it to its scabbard.

“It’s done.”

Aout opened his eyes slightly.

The Banshees and Ghosts, who had been emitting immense hatred just moments before, were nowhere to be found.

“Ah… as expected of Saint Ian.”

“What did you do?”

“I just gathered the power of the sun and released it. It’s nothing much.”

As always, Ian said it as if it were nothing.

It was definitely a big deal, but was it because this happened so often?

Haryun decided to just move on, thinking this was another one of those times.

“Now. Where could something related to black magic be…”

“I sense the aura of black magic from that furthest room.”

Kirke and Aout made the same statement.

As Ian headed that way, Haryun wore a serious expression.

“There really is black magic left…?”

“We’ll know when we see it.”

The door that seemed to lead to the laboratory was tightly locked.

But it couldn’t withstand Ian’s Unlock magic.

With the sound of the lock disengaging, he flung the door open.

Haryun swallowed hard at the sight that was revealed inside.

Something unbelievable had happened.

“Oh Moon…”

Aout unconsciously muttered and made the sign of the cross.

The walls were covered with ominous magic circles that seemed to be drawn in blood.

And in the center of the room, there was an inverted pentagram with human skulls piled up.

Anyone could tell.

“Evil… these are the remnants of evil black magic.”

“What is this…”

Even Haryun couldn’t speak properly.

Meanwhile, Ian examined the inside, checking the circle and skulls in the center.

The skulls had been treated for black magic.

‘Judging by the shape, it looks like a 12 or 13-year-old girl.’

Based on his anatomical knowledge, not only this skull but all the other skulls.

They were all of different races but under the age of 20.

And all of them.

“Girls. Specifically, they’re from young girls.”

As Ian said calmly, Aout clenched his fist tightly.

“The best offering for black magic is a virgin under the age of 20. So…”

That’s why there were such sacrifices.

Ian compared the number of skulls with the number of Banshees and Ghosts he had caught earlier.

“Those Banshees and Ghosts must have been created here.”

“Wait a minute… let’s check the magic circles.”

Haryun checked the magic circles on the wall with trembling eyes.

Meanwhile, Aout continued to pray, purifying the room.

How long had they waited?

When the purification was over, Aout said in a somber voice.

“How could something like this happen…”

“This is really not a normal situation. We need to go and report this quickly…”

As Haryun was about to go out and report, Ian looked around and said.

“This place. It hasn’t been created for very long.”

“Oh? Really?”

“And one more thing.”

Ian pointed to the sacrifices and the magic circle.

“If my interpretation is correct, these magic circles only create Banshees and Ghosts to kill or drive away those who enter the building after they are created. They never go outside.”

“Hmm. This magic circle has a defensive form. In other words, it was meant to protect this place. Good job figuring it out.”

“There were books related to black magic in the library too. Anyway, that’s not important.”

Ian pulled up a nearby chair and sat down.

“Why?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why is black magic here?”

They tried to protect this building with black magic?

That was fine.

The problem was this.

Who was doing this here and for what reason?

At those words, Aout and Haryun were startled.

They were so surprised by the reappearance of black magic that they hadn’t paid attention to it.

“…We need to investigate further.”

“Hey, Ian. I…”

“Yeah. You go and report. It seems like demolition isn’t the issue right now.”

Ian’s group went down to the first floor.

As Haryun left through the door on the first floor, Ian looked at Aout.

“Priest, can you move a little more?”

“Yes? Ah, of course. Shall I pray for you?”

“That’s an attractive offer, and I’ll gladly accept it.”

As he began to pray, divine power flowed out.

Ian, who had received the moon’s energy to the fullest, said after his prayer was over.

“There’s one more place I want to check.”

He needed to go and check the 8th circle magic in the basement.

When Aout nodded, Ian took him down below.

There was nothing in the basement, which seemed to have been used as a warehouse, except for dust and junk.

“Is there a problem?”

“Yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

Leaving Aout behind, Ian went to that spot and touched the wall.

Those who didn’t know would just think it was a wall.

But it was definitely here.

<8th Circle Dimensional Magic. Dimensional Distortion.>

‘If it’s 8th circle magic, even the current lords of the Magic Tower can’t use it easily. Let’s see…’

The door that should be here is hidden in a distorted dimension.

No, not just the door.

Everything else behind it was in another distorted dimension.

It was hidden more than a decent seal.

After checking, Ian said to Kirke.

‘It will take several days to analyze and解除 it. World Sword. Prepare.’

The power was drawn from the worldview he possessed.

Gathering power to the precarious level just before the sword was destroyed, he quickly swung the sword.

At that moment, the barrier was cut along with the wall.

The sword strike that could cut everything had cut even the 8th circle magic.

If mages or swordsmen had seen it, they would have fainted, but Aout was neither a mage nor a swordsman.

Therefore, he just tilted his head and marveled at it.

“Wow. There was a secret passage here too.”

Then a sound came from above.

Hearing the sound of someone coming in, Ian immediately shouted.

“It’s here!!”

Was it because they heard his shout?

A group of people came down.

Aranse, Hound, Valentine.

Lastly, it was Grajin.

“Why did you come?”

“I was working with Instructor Aranse when I heard about it and came to check it out. But I heard that traces of black magic were found in this building?”

The instructors’ expressions were all stiff.

Especially Valentine’s was the stiffest.

“But why is Instructor Valentine like that?”

“Because she’s the manager of this building.”

Ian stared at her intently.

If Valentine was a black magician, it would be truly amazing.

Because she had deceived Ian and Kirke’s eyes.

“Do you use black magic?”

“No!!”

She waved her hands in denial and said urgently.

“I just got picked in a raffle during vacation to manage this place…”

Haryun, puzzled by her aggrieved expression, asked.

“Then who was the manager before that?”

“Not just this building but other abandoned buildings. All of them…”

Valentine sighed deeply.

“Instructor Hastings managed them directly until he disappeared.”

Hearing those words, Ian frowned.

“That bastard didn’t have a hand in anything.”

“He was quite involved in the academy’s affairs before he went missing. But Ian, what’s that? Those stairs weren’t on the blueprint.”

As Aranse pointed to the stairs going from the basement to further underground, Aout answered instead of Ian.

“Saint Ian just discovered it. We haven’t gone there yet, so we don’t know.”

“Hmm… Instructor Valentine, Instructor Hound. Haryun. Let’s go to the place where there are traces of black magic. And the rest of us will go down below.”

“Yes.”

They split into two groups.

Ian, Grajin, Aout, and Aranse immediately went one floor further underground.

After going down quite deep stairs, there was an iron door.

After unlocking the tightly locked door with Unlock magic, they could see inside.

Seeing it, Grajin said with a serious expression.

“This is…”

“Do you know what it is? Grajin?”

“Yes.”

At Aranse’s question, Grajin said in a reluctant tone.

“It’s the altar of the Balrog Ruins.”