Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 496

Professor Skull leaned forward, his eyes sharp. “Let’s talk about blood magic,” he said to Lee Han. “What’s the real difference between what Professor Beggret does and the dark magic used by criminals?”

Lee Han thought for a moment. “Is it just that Professor Beggret’s magic is allowed by the rules, but the criminals’ magic is not?”

“Partly,” Headmaster Skull agreed. “But we need to understand the magic itself.”

“Professor Volardi’s blood magic,” Headmaster Skull explained, “was a secret, old magic. It made a wizard’s power stronger by using their own blood.” He frowned. “Even if a wizard’s blood is very strong and old, using your own blood like that can’t be healthy.”

“As magic gets more powerful,” he continued, “spells become harder to control, and wizards face more danger. Blood magic makes everything even more risky. It’s no surprise the wizard who invented it died in a magic accident.”

“But magical criminals are cunning,” Headmaster Skull said, a dark look crossing his face. “They thought, ‘Why should *I* risk myself? I can make *someone else* take the danger.'”

He paused for effect. “That’s how human sacrifice became part of dark magic.”

“So, instead of using their own blood,” Lee Han realized, “they use someone else’s body to power the magic and stay safe.”

Headmaster Skull clicked his tongue, a sound of real anger.

Lee Han was surprised. He had thought Headmaster Skull was only interested in strange magic. But now, he saw anger in the Headmaster’s eyes – anger at wizards who hurt innocent people. It was a side of Headmaster Skull he hadn’t seen before.

“Using others like that is foolish in the long run,” Headmaster Skull warned. “Magic isn’t just a tool to get what you want easily. For every gain, there’s a loss. Every spell has risks. Forget that, and you will fail.”

“…Oh,” Lee Han said, “I thought you were just angry about the bad things magical criminals do.”

“Well, I am angry about that too,” Headmaster Skull said, as if it was obvious.

“Now,” Headmaster Skull said, changing the subject quickly, “you need to learn something else.” He waved his hand, and several strange objects clattered onto the table. They looked old and dusty, some made of metal, others of wood and bone. “These are artifacts used by magical criminals. You need to learn to sense the special magic in them. This will help you know when you are facing a dangerous person.”

“I understand,” Lee Han said, looking at the strange objects.

“And listen carefully,” Headmaster Skull added, his voice turning hard. “If you recognize these criminals, you must stop them immediately. Don’t be foolish and try to be kind. They are dangerous. If you have to, stop them permanently.”

Lee Han hesitated. “…Yes, Headmaster.”

“Good. And you also need to be better at dispelling magic.”

“Dispelling magic?” Lee Han grinned. “I’m good at that!” He raised his hand, and a ball of raw magical energy crackled into existence, like a small, bright sun. He called it his “Magic Hammer.”

Headmaster Skull stared, speechless. *He’s going to try and smash it with pure power again!* he thought in disbelief. *Because he’s so strong, he gets away with these ridiculous things!*

Any other student would have tried this once, maybe twice, and then learned the hard way: *A wizard should use their mind, not just brute force! Dispelling magic is about skill, not just smashing it like an animal!* But Lee Han was too powerful. He never faced the consequences.

“Instead of just smashing it,” Headmaster Skull said, trying to keep his voice calm, “shouldn’t you be able to stop magic *while* it’s being made?”

He wasn’t going to say Lee Han’s brute-force method was completely wrong. If any other student dared to say, “Why learn complicated spells? I’ll just blast everything with raw magic!” they would be in serious trouble. But with Lee Han… it was different. It *worked* for him.

But Headmaster Skull knew it wasn’t the best way. Truly skilled wizards could protect their magic from even powerful attacks. And with Lee Han’s talent, he didn’t need to rely on just power. He just needed to think a little!

“Do you know about ‘magic counters’?” Headmaster Skull asked.

“Yes,” Lee Han replied.

“Counters,” Headmaster Skull repeated. “Or ‘reverse magic.’ It’s very important, especially for wizards who make enchantments or heal people.” He paused to make sure Lee Han was listening. “Remember, magic changes reality, right? You pay a price with your will to make it happen.”

“So,” he continued, “how do you *undo* magic? The usual way is to understand how the spell is built, and then carefully break it apart, piece by piece, at its weakest points. Sometimes, you can just smash it with a stronger force. All of these ways are ‘counters.’ It might not seem important now, but as you learn more powerful magic, it will become essential. Now, cast a spell.”

Lee Han quickly created a ball of water magic – a Water Orb. He aimed it playfully at Headmaster Skull’s bald head.

In a flash, Headmaster Skull’s eyes narrowed. Suddenly, Lee Han felt his spell wobble. It was like the magic was twisting and breaking apart even as he made it. The Water Orb flickered and vanished.

“Do you understand?” Headmaster Skull asked, a hint of a smile on his face.

“Did you push your magic into a weak spot in my spell?” Lee Han asked, surprised.

“Exactly,” Headmaster Skull said, pleased. “You saw it right away.” *Finally, something he understands quickly!* he thought.

“Once you understand counters,” Headmaster Skull explained, “you can do things like this – stop someone’s magic even as they are casting it. If you can see how a spell is built, you can also attack it while it’s still being built. By pushing your magic into the weak points of their spell, you can disrupt it, slow it down, or even stop it completely.”

“But that’s not all,” Headmaster Skull said, his eyes gleaming. Suddenly, Lee Han felt a sharp prick on his wrist. It was like a tiny needle of magic had stabbed him. “Just like you can attack a spell’s weak point, you can also attack a wizard’s body with a counter-spell. It’s much harder, but if you succeed, you can stop them from using magic at all. I’ve placed a counter in your wrist. Now, try to use magic.”

Lee Han focused, trying to summon his power. Instantly, a wave of raw magic exploded outwards from him, shattering the magic needle in his wrist. The force of it was so strong, it made the air shimmer.

Headmaster Skull stared, his mouth slightly open.

Silence hung in the air for a moment.

“…And,” Headmaster Skull said slowly, recovering, “even *that* counter can be dispelled. Like you just did.”

“Oh,” Lee Han said, still feeling the rush of power. “I see.” He didn’t really understand *why* it had been so easy for him, but he wasn’t going to question it.

Lee Han thought about magic counters. *This is useful,* he realized. *Not just for stopping spells that are already made, but for stopping them before they even happen. And for attacking enemy wizards directly.* To use this against criminals, he needed to know their magic. “You said we’d learn the magic patterns from those artifacts?” he asked. “Have I learned them yet?”

“Learned them?” Headmaster Skull blinked, as if surprised Lee Han was still thinking about the artifacts. “I just showed them to you! I haven’t even given you time to look!”

“Just a moment,” Lee Han said, glancing back at the table. He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them. “Um… yes. I think I’ve got them.”

Headmaster Skull raised an eyebrow. “Your confidence is truly unmatched in the Empire,” he muttered. “Fine. Next, we talk about weak points. You felt those patterns, so you must have felt the weak points too, right? Just tell me you did.”

*How does he know?* Lee Han wondered. He was starting to understand why Headmaster Skull was so respected. He seemed to know everything.

Headmaster Skull’s impatient voice broke through his thoughts. “Are you going to answer me or just stand there looking confused?”

“How did you know?” Lee Han asked, genuinely curious.

Headmaster Skull stared at him as if he were incredibly stupid. “Are you serious? How can you be so unaware of your own talent?” He sighed. “Never mind. Let’s move on. I’ll cast a spell, and you find the weak point. Quickly! We have to get to the magical effects of the artifacts too, you know!”

“…Right,” Lee Han said, feeling a little overwhelmed.

Headmaster Skull’s grand teaching plan didn’t quite work out as he hoped. Hours flew by – dawn, morning, and then the bright Friday sun was high in the sky. Finally, Headmaster Skull sighed and let Lee Han go, looking almost disappointed.

“I suppose we’ll have to look at those artifacts another time,” he grumbled. “Oh well. Are you tired?”

“Completely,” Lee Han admitted.

“You know,” Headmaster Skull said, a strange glint in his eye, “Lichs don’t need to sleep.”

Lee Han just stared at him, then turned and walked out, muttering under his breath about crazy Headmasters.

His head was spinning with everything he had learned about reverse magic. *The sun feels so bright today,* he thought, blinking as he stepped outside.

Stepping into the courtyard, Lee Han saw students everywhere, their faces red and sweaty as they worked hard. Even though it was supposed to be a day off, the recent flood had left so much damage that everyone was helping to rebuild.

Lee Han sighed. *I need to fix the garden too,* he thought. *I hope the fruit trees are okay. Vegetables grow back quickly, but fruit trees take years… And I should check on the Blue Dragon Tower. Their common room was flooded. I wonder if the fireplace got ruined? I just finished building it…*

“Lee Han! Lee Han!”

“Hmm?” Lee Han turned to see Ratford hurrying towards him, a wide smile on his face.

“Where have you been?” Ratford asked, sounding genuinely relieved. “I was starting to worry! I haven’t seen you since yesterday.”

“Headmaster Skull kept me busy,” Lee Han explained with a tired smile.

“Oh no!” Ratford’s smile faded, replaced by concern. “I’m so sorry! He can be… intense.” He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “My older brother told me stories about students being stuck with Headmaster Skull for days! He said some people even tried to write letters to the Emperor to complain!”

“…Really?” Lee Han said, surprised. He hadn’t thought of complaining to the Emperor. *Would that even work?* he wondered.

“So, it’s our day off, right?” Lee Han asked. “What are you working on?”

“Getting supplies,” Ratford said, holding up a thick wooden board. “We’re rebuilding the… uh… ‘student exchange area.'” He winked.

Lee Han recognized the wood – it looked just like the desks in the lecture rooms. He decided not to ask. “Actually, Ratford, there’s somewhere I need to go. Could you show me the way?” He remembered the note from the mysterious senior student, the one trapped in the Deep Punishment Room. *He said there might be something useful in their old hideout.* Lee Han knew in this school, you had to grab any advantage you could get. He had learned that lesson quickly in Einroguard – *don’t wait, don’t hesitate, or you’ll lose out.*

“Sure, I can guide you,” Ratford agreed. “But… before we go…” He hesitated, looking at Lee Han with concern.

“What is it?” Lee Han asked, puzzled.

“I think… you might need to rest for a little while,” Ratford said gently.

“Rest? I’m fine,” Lee Han started to say, but Ratford just held out a small, polished mirror. Lee Han looked at his reflection and stopped talking. His eyes were glowing red, his skin pale, and his teeth… definitely sharper than they should be. He looked exactly like a vampire.

“Oh,” Lee Han said. “Right. Just a short nap then.”

Usually, a tired person couldn’t just sleep for a bit.

Similarly, it was already evening when Lee Han woke up.

-Shouldn’t we call the professor…

-His pulse was normal…

-Siana Priest. Even so, isn’t it strange to sleep like a corpse like that…

“…Thank you, everyone.”

Lee Han thanked the Phoenix Tower priests and went to meet Ratford.

Lee Han, who was walking with a sandwich made by cutting tomatoes, bacon, cheese, and lettuce between rye bread in one hand, spotted Ratford approaching from afar.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Lee Han glanced at the back of Ratford.

A group of Black Turtle Tower students were heading somewhere with fishing rods.

“Where are they going?”

“Ah. They’re going to salvage things from the newly created reservoir due to the flood…”

‘I should go later.’

Lee Han was tempted by the very interesting news, but the map was the priority now.

‘3rd floor of the Main Building.’

The Main Building, the oldest building in Einroguard, was a collection of unpredictable magic as much as its history, but there was a general rule.

The lower the floor, the more stable it is, and the higher the floor, the more eccentric it becomes.

In that respect, the 3rd floor of the Main Building was safe enough for even first-year students to occasionally set foot in.

The fact that the room used by the seniors was located on such a 3rd floor of the Main Building…

‘Good luck.’

Well, he had suffered so much, it was right that he had good luck sometimes.

Lee Han nodded, thinking so.

The two first-year students climbed up the broken corridor on the 2nd floor. The Polymorph Forest with the >Forest Mouse> was not visible today.

‘Pass the Blue Handkerchief Lecture Room and turn left, then knock on the ceiling to open a new corridor…’

Clunk, thud, bang, rumble!

Walls disappeared, ceilings became floors, and non-existent paths were created, but the two first-year students were already used to it and didn’t even glance at it.

“…Wait a minute.”

“What’s wrong?”

Lee Han frowned.

He couldn’t understand the phrase written on the map.

…Then, if you walk on the ceiling, a new lecture room will appear…