Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 550

“P-Professor?” Lee Han mumbled, his voice hoarse. He waved a muddy hand, trying to get Professor Thunderstride’s attention.

Professor Thunderstride turned. He blinked, then stared. His mouth dropped open.

“Lee Han! What in the world happened to you?” the Professor exclaimed, his voice loud with surprise. “Did a war explode here? You look like you wrestled a monster… and lost!”

Lee Han was a sight. Dirt caked his face, and streaks of dried blood painted his cheek. His cloak was torn in several places, and his hair stuck out at wild angles, like a bird had tried to nest in it.

Lee Han coughed and said, “I had no choice.”

“What do you mean you had no choice?” Professor Thunderstride asked.

“The Corrupted were trying to attack the spirits,” Lee Han explained.

“Wait, just a moment,” Professor Thunderstride said, regaining his composure. He had almost been touched by his student’s kindness, but something still seemed wrong.

“You all should have been inside the cabin, protected by the magic circles, shouldn’t you?” he asked.

“We were,” Yoner and Priestess Siana replied, their voices exhausted. They were covered in dust, showing they had been in a tough fight, though not as much as Lee Han.

“But we came out to fight,” Yoner added.

“…Why?” Professor Thunderstride asked, utterly confused.

“To protect the spirits,” Siana replied.

“I see… Why??!” Professor Thunderstride exclaimed, still not understanding why they would risk their safety for the spirits.

Lee Han thought to himself, ‘I still have a long way to go.’

He realized that the spirits had disliked him because he hadn’t tried hard enough. If he made an effort, they would have no reason to avoid him.

‘I need to put the spirits in danger,’ he mused.

He thought, ‘What if I saved them from a dangerous situation? They might even like me.’

“Lee Han… I want to help you, but I’m worried. You seem to be having strange thoughts…” Yoner said, looking at his friend with concern. He was worried about Lee Han’s new theory about spirit contracts.

He knew spirits liked kindness, but Lee Han seemed ready to force spirits into danger just to save them.

‘Must be my imagination?’ Yoner wondered.

“Nah, it’ll be fine. We’re helping spirits in danger, right?” Lee Han said.

Priestess Siana added, “And Wodanaz would never deliberately put a spirit in danger, would he?”

Lee Han stopped walking. Yoner became even more worried.

“Corrupted! Everyone, be careful!” Lee Han shouted.

Lee Han moved quickly, showing his combat mage training. He cast invisibility magic on his friends and then created a thick mist that made it hard to see. He also summoned >Pengarin’s Frost Elemental Clone>.

The illusionary mist spread, and the clones moved within it, making it even harder to see. Then, he cast enhancement magic.

“Wodanaz, what about the Swift Steps spell?” Lee Han asked.

“That has severe side effects, so no,” Wodanaz replied.

Lee Han waved his staff without stopping. “Arise, warriors made of bone!”

He threw black bone fragments from his pocket, and skeleton warriors appeared. These weren’t ordinary skeletons; they were enhanced with dark elemental energy.

The Corrupted reacted strongly, sensing the similar energy.

“All preparations are complete. Attack!” Lee Han commanded.

His friends were protected by magic, and summons disrupted the enemy’s vision. It was time to attack.

Lee Han and his friends bombarded the Corrupted with magic.

“Unleash, the lightning of Perkuntra!” Lee Han shouted.

Lightning flashed, striking the Corrupted. They were low-level undead, but the dark spirits helped them endure. Some stuck together to become larger and more armored. Others dug into the ground or spewed dark energy to weaken the attacks.

Yoner watched his friend’s attack and waved his staff. “Shatter, amplify!”

A potion bottle spun and shattered, releasing its power. Alchemists like Yoner used less magic when they prepared in advance.

Whoosh!

“The power of fire has weakened!” someone shouted.

“We can’t help it!” another replied.

Yoner and Priestess Siana were disappointed, but the season was suppressing the flames.

“The power of fire has weakened?” Lee Han asked.

“Huh?” Yoner responded.

“Burn!” Lee Han shouted.

Lee Han scorched a nearby Corrupted with fire. It collapsed without resisting.

Yoner was astonished that his friend could maintain firepower in this season.

“Everyone, hold on a little longer! The spirits are getting away!” Priestess Siana shouted happily.

The spirits were escaping into the forest while the Corrupted were being attacked from both sides. The enraged Corrupted combined and swung their claws, but the ambush had been fatal. The mages in the back couldn’t see them in the mist, and the dark skeleton warriors endured thanks to the elemental energy.

“Wait. They’re getting away?” Lee Han asked.

“Yes? Yes,” Siana replied.

Lee Han pondered for a moment.

Yoner called out, “Lee Han? Don’t tell me…”

“I need to help the spirits!” Lee Han shouted.

Lee Han dispelled the invisibility magic and jumped out of the mist, running towards the escaping spirits.

The Corrupted reacted to the sudden appearance of a mage.

Whoosh!

A long thorn shot out from a Corrupted’s forehead, aiming at Lee Han. This was a dangerous attack in close combat.

But Lee Han was the top student of the Dark Magic School.

“Darkness, gather here!” Lee Han shouted, casting the Dark Elemental Absorption spell. He gathered dark energy to control it.

The Corrupted struggled as its body was torn apart. Lee Han drew Dawn Star and swung it.

Swoosh!

The Corrupted collapsed.

Lee Han shouted loudly at the spirits, “Everyone, run away! I’ll stop them!”

The spirits turned and made noises when they saw Lee Han.

‘It worked!’ Lee Han thought, feeling happy that the spirits looked at him kindly. It was worth the risk!

Crack! Crunch!

The dark skeleton warriors were knocked aside.

A giant Corrupted appeared, much larger than the others.

Lee Han looked at the Corrupted and then back at the spirits.

“…Run away! I’ll stop it!” he shouted.

“Lee Han! Please stop and come back!” Yoner yelled.

“So?” Professor Thunderstride asked, throwing Lee Han a bandage.

“How did you avoid it?” he inquired.

“I caught it?” Lee Han replied.

“…Really?” Professor Thunderstride asked, surprised.

“Yes,” Lee Han confirmed.

“How??” the professor pressed.

“I just kept dodging and rolling around while casting magic until it collapsed…” Lee Han explained.

Professor Thunderstride was shocked by this unbelievable method. A mage trying to tire out a monster was foolish.

Mages weren’t supposed to fight monsters by just trying to last longer. But Lee Han had ignored that and won. No wonder the area was a mess.

“I swear, who would do something like this to impress a spirit?!” Professor Thunderstride exclaimed.

“I didn’t do it to impress the spirits, Professor. I just wanted to help them…” Lee Han said.

“As if!” Professor Thunderstride clicked his tongue, looking at his student. He knew some mages tried hard to contract with spirits, but none were as extreme as Lee Han.

“Ugh. Thank you,” Lee Han said, wiping off the blood and applying ointment to his wounds. He got up.

“Where are you going?” Professor Thunderstride asked.

“The spirits were running into the forest. Wouldn’t they come out if I called them?” Lee Han replied.

“…Wait. Hold on,” Professor Thunderstride said, grabbing his student. “The Corrupted are coming out now. Something must be wrong on the Einroguard site. It’s best not to go near the forest for a while.”

“I understand. I’ll just meet the spirits and come back,” Lee Han said.

Basilisk and the squirrel spirit clung to Lee Han’s wrists, telling him not to go. Yoner and Priestess Siana also grabbed his shoulders.

“Lee Han, you’re not in good condition. You must be tired and low on magic,” Yoner said.

“My magic isn’t low…” Lee Han protested.

“Be quiet. You’re tired,” Yoner said, his voice a little colder than usual. Priestess Siana was also serious.

“Honestly, spirits aren’t that important. Is there any reason to risk your life to go in now?” she asked.

“I guess… Wait. How many spirits has Priestess Siana contracted with right now?” Lee Han asked.

“Three?” Siana replied.

Lee Han pushed Priestess Siana’s hand away, looking serious. He thought she had no interest in spirits!

“Ah, no. It’s not the number that’s important, it’s the affection. Wodanaz, look at the spirits here,” Siana said.

Yoner quickly took over as Lee Han softened. “Lee Han, think about it. The spirits won’t forget your kindness. You can go after the professor hunts down all the Corrupted.”

“Huh?” Lee Han asked.

Professor Thunderstride was surprised when an arrow flew at him while he was standing still. Shouldn’t the desperate one be hunting the Corrupted?

“…Maybe that’s true,” Lee Han said, changing his mind when everyone stopped him.

“I can go in after all the Corrupted are gone. The spirits won’t forget my kindness, right?” he asked.

“Uh. But the spirits will also return to their own dimension, right? They weren’t formally summoned, so you don’t know how long they’ll be here,” Professor Thunderstride pointed out, realizing he had made a mistake when Yoner and Priestess Siana looked at him urgently.

“Professor,” Yoner warned.

“Ah, no. They might stay for a long time…” Professor Thunderstride said.

“Let’s go together,” Lee Han said, his eyes burning with determination.

“No…! Why would I do such a thing…!” Professor Thunderstride protested.

“Let’s go together,” Lee Han repeated.

Professor Thunderstride was overwhelmed by his student’s gaze.