Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 130

130. Germination (2)

Drew and Carles, who had just finished sparring, and even Angel, who had been lost in thought in one corner, all turned to look.

Woooosh…!

The extraordinary light emanating from the magic circle—the black magic circle activated by Aries—drew everyone’s attention.

‘What is it this time?’

Aries had been activating bizarre magic every time. Sometimes she summoned the undead, and sometimes she manifested new forbidden magic.

Whether they liked it or not, her magic always sparked interest, so it was natural that everyone’s eyes were filled with curiosity.

Koo-ooo!

The ground began to shake violently.

“What, what is it?”

Drew, who almost fell, supported his enlarged body with the tip of his spear.

[Oh, is it a large-scale magic this time?]

Oberon’s eyes were also shining.

Amidst everyone’s attention, what appeared was a single creature.

“Squeak!”

A small mouse looking up at us.

“……Huh?”

It was an appearance that couldn’t hide disappointment.

However, one thing was unique: the mouse’s tail.

“Hehe! How is it? A mouse combined with a scorpion tail!”

From its head to its torso, it looked like a mouse, but its tail was that of a scorpion.

“Did you make another chimera?”

“Yeah. How is it! Cool, right? Hehe!”

The scorpion-tailed mouse was already scurrying around inside the dwelling.

“Well, making a chimera is impressive, but you’ve made a lot of these before.”

“……Ah, that’s true! But this time it’s a bit different.”

Aries couldn’t hide the excitement on her face.

“Is there something special about it?”

“Of course! Watch closely…….”

Aries focused her mind. The mana flowing from her fingertips enveloped the magic circle on the floor.

“If I do this, I can enter its body.”

“What?”

Woooosh!

The magic circle began to swirl again. At the same time, Aries’ body began to collapse.

Thud.

Admun, who had already rushed over, was supporting her body.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

The summoned mouse came to my instep and rubbed its body against me.

‘Is Aries’ spirit really residing in it?’

It was a sight that was hard to believe.

However, the scene that followed made it impossible to deny Aries’ words.

“Kieeek!”

When Angel approached, the mouse bared its teeth at him. The scorpion tail raised high looked as if it would attack Angel at any moment.

“This fist-sized thing, I might just step on it.”

The way it showed hostility only to Angel was unmistakably Aries.

[That’s quite a magic.]

The ability to imbue a summoned creature with a spirit.

‘There will be many uses for it.’

It was undoubtedly a magic with endless possibilities depending on the situation.

The scorpion-tailed mouse, which had been stopped with its tail raised high towards Angel.

Poof!

Suddenly, a small puff of smoke rose from its body.

“Phew! How is it?”

Aries, who had collapsed, was now speaking.

“Are you back?”

“Yeah. Cool, right?”

“It’s definitely a good magic. You can be proud of it. Can you come back whenever you want?”

“Of course! Kikik!”

Aries’ nose was raised endlessly.

“Do you think that’s all?”

Her loving gaze towards the scorpion-tailed mouse continued.

“Now the chimera creation probability is over 90 percent! That means I can create chimeras the way I want!”

“……What? You’ve always made chimeras. What are you suddenly talking about?”

Her words made everyone tilt their heads. She had always made and boasted about numerous chimeras.

“Ah, originally the chimera success rate was less than 50 percent! Hehe!”

“Huh?”

“Until now, I only showed you the ones that succeeded by chance. There were many more failures!”

“……Then what about Angel’s case?”

Aries glanced at Angel. Her mouth soon opened.

“Actually, when I transplanted his heart, the success rate was less than 10 percent! Hehe!”

Everyone’s mouths dropped open at the shocking statement.

“That crazy witch!”

Angel’s roar could not be stopped.

However, he, who looked as if he would grab Aries by the collar at any moment, could not move from his spot.

“Kkeak!”

It was because the mouse, which had been raising its tail high, had injected venom into his instep.

“Hehe! Who cares! The result is good after all! My skills also enhanced your physical abilities!”

Angel kicked away the scorpion-tailed mouse. As Aries said, the wound on his instep was healing quickly.

“That damn hag. I’ll teach you a lesson with my own hands someday!”

“Pfft! Do as you please. Anyway, now that the probability of making chimeras has increased, tell me anytime!”

Aries ran away to the corner, avoiding Angel.

* * *

“Well, everyone, you’ve worked hard.”

A commonplace greeting flowed out. Dozens of students and parents were gathered in the great hall of the Magic Tower.

“To think that you’re already graduating.”

Alloy was standing on the platform as usual.

“It feels like just yesterday that I met you, but to see you graduating like this is so reassuring. I started my professorship while guiding you, so I feel even more attached to your class. Everyone was a wonderful child.”

His gaze, filled with affectionate eyes, scanned each and every student.

“You are outstanding among them, so you are graduating early like this.”

Of the 100 or so students who enrolled, less than half were graduating this year. It was a gathering of students who were relatively in the upper ranks.

“Hey! Professor, you’re not crying, are you?”

“Cry! Cry!”

“Ehhh!”

The graduates teased him for no reason. It was thanks to Alloy’s friendly treatment.

“Ahem! Everyone be quiet! Now it’s time for the graduation ceremony. Just focus on that and it’s over!”

Then, Alloy found me in the crowd and showed a pleased smile.

“The valedictorian, come forward. The Tower Master will personally award the diploma on behalf of everyone.”

At his words, all the students’ gazes were directed at me.

“Kuh! As expected, Ian!”

“Awesome! To receive it directly from the Tower Master!”

“There’s no one else who could be valedictorian but you!”

“Hey, hey! It was an honor to be in the same class!”

“Remember our camaraderie even after you go out there, okay?”

The envious gazes from the early days of my Magic Tower life had disappeared. The students had accepted the gap between themselves and me over the past few years.

‘Cute bastards.’

Because I had been taking first place in every form of test, I had become an object of admiration.

I arrived at the platform amidst the gazes of such children. Alloy was standing one step back on the platform.

“Ian Delema, in first place again, I see?”

The Tower Master was taking her place.

“Unfortunately, it’s me again.”

“Hehe. I see you have no intention of giving up your place to other students until the very end.”

The Tower Master chuckled. She had faced me every time there was an award ceremony, so now she was even making trivial jokes.

“Anyway, you’ve worked hard. I heard you declined the Magic Tower professorship?”

“Yes. I am grateful for the offer, but I still lack the capacity to do so.”

After graduating from the Magic Tower, it was common to return to one’s family. After that, it was common for mages to build up their skills and be reappointed as professors at the Magic Tower, which was the elite course.

“You know this isn’t a common opportunity, right?”

However, the Tower Master had exceptionally offered me a professorship.

‘It’s finally a chance to escape the Magic Tower, what nonsense are you talking about.’

It was not an offer that I, who had been waiting for this day, would accept.

Now that I finally had the opportunity to go alone, not belonging to any organization.

“Yes. I still want to see more of the world.”

“……Hmm.”

The Tower Master looked at me for a moment and tilted her head to one side.

“Pfft. That’s a good idea.”

A smile appeared on her face.

“If you come back after seeing various worlds, you can become a better mage. You’re an unpredictable student until the very end.”

The Tower Master patted my right arm and held out a ring.

“Thank you for seeing me in a good light.”

When I spread my fingers, the Tower Master personally put the ring on me.

“Congratulations on your graduation, Ian Delema. I pray that you will become a great mage in the future.”

It was a red ring symbolizing graduation from the Magic Tower.

After responding with a smile, I looked down at the auditorium.

‘Goodbye for now, everyone.’

The remaining graduates were also receiving graduation rings from their respective professors.

[That rascal has become quite dignified.]

Macduff could not be missing from this place either.

[If it weren’t for you, that guy would have been the valedictorian.]

He was graduating as the salutatorian [second highest ranking graduate] of this class.

‘He’s been focusing only on his magic since he came to his senses.’

[He must have been grinding his teeth. His eyes were so full of venom.]

Macduff had always been bowing his head since his first year of enrollment. He did not hang out with his friends and was immersed only in his magic.

As I took in the graduates, I was returning to my original seat.

“Ian!”

A familiar voice calling me.

“You’ve come.”

It was Titania who had come to the graduation ceremony.

“Of course! The Magic Tower’s valedictorian, I’m so proud. I knew you could do it.”

“It’s thanks to your care all this time.”

Titania’s eyes were already filled with tears. It was when I was giving her a light hug.

“Ian, you’re amazing!”

The person who appeared beyond her.

[He came too?]

Liu Delema was smiling brightly.

“Liu, you’ve come too. What brings you here?”

“Come on. Is this a place I shouldn’t come to? Two of my nephews are graduating! You guys took both the valedictorian and the salutatorian. You know it’s all thanks to me, right?”

He gestured to Macduff, who was far away.

[That woman is quite something.]

A woman was glaring at him from next to him. It was Macduff’s mother, Helena. Because Macduff had fallen behind me again, unnecessary sparks were flying.

‘Is there a need to deal with her?’

I just smiled and made a V sign.

[Serves her right.]

Helena, whose expression was crumpled, was now glaring at Macduff.

“Thank you, Uncle Liu.”

“Oh, are you calling me uncle now?”

“It’s always what you wanted. I’m just calling you that in honor of graduation.”

“Haha. Okay. Keep calling me that often in the future.”

As I was receiving congratulations from Titania and Liu, a voice stimulated my ears.

“Hey, but how is he graduating early?”

“I know. I didn’t think he could graduate at all, let alone early.”

There were students gesturing to someone where I turned my head. The target was Drew, who was just receiving his graduation ring.

“How did he become a 5-star mage? I don’t think he had any notable research achievements… How did he meet the graduation requirements?”

“Hey, what are you talking about? He just followed Ian around. Ian must have helped him a lot.”

“Sigh, Ian too. Why did he help someone like that?”

The guys were distracted by looking at Drew.

“Ahem.”

The children who had just looked at me at the sound of forced clearing of throat.

“Ah, oh, you came?”

“Congratulations on being the valedictorian!”

There was no value in responding to such people.

‘Those guys wouldn’t even last a punch against Drew.’

Drew was being ignored as much as his big size was colorless inside the Magic Tower.

[Macduff will be over in an instant too.]

Excluding me, there was no one among the graduates who could beat Drew.

“Mother, Uncle, I’ll go see my friend for a moment.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

“Okay. I should go tease Macduff too.”

I arrived next to Drew, breaking through the graduates.

“Congratulations, Drew.”

“Yeah! Congratulations on being the valedictorian too!”

He was responding with a good-natured smile as always. For some reason, Drew’s parents did not visit this place.

“Then let’s go.”

Instead, I would always be with him in his future, as always.

“Okay!”