Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 749

Antagondals acted just like you’d expect a magical criminal to act.

He laughed, seeming genuinely happy, even though a pitiful fate awaited the boy.

“…Might I actually succeed?”

“Indeed. I, too, shall soon become an immortal being.”

“Pardon?”

“Good heavens. Share dreams?” the Mad Doppelganger said. “That’s what I thought!”

“……”

Seeing Antagondals’ cynical expression, Ethan made a sincere vow: He would finish his training without fail today!

Antagondals left the workshop, feeling a little happier. He loved seeing young wizards fail because they tried to do too much too soon. It was the best kind of fun for a magical troublemaker like him.

“Fail and burn, little wizards! Ha! Fail!” Antagondals whispered, a grin spreading across his face.

“Be quiet,” a cold voice cut through the air.

Antagondals jumped and quickly bowed his head. “Sorry, Master.”

He was surprised to see the Mad Doppelganger standing right outside the workshop door. He had thought the Mad Doppelganger would be long gone by now, wandering off somewhere else in his usual strange way.

“Is there anything else you require of me?”

“……”

“Master?”

When the Mad Doppelganger didn’t answer, Antagondals cautiously raised his head. The Mad Doppelganger was merely staring off into the distance, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Antagondals realized that the Mad Doppelganger had fallen into another fit of madness.

He wanted to ask about the magic, but the scars left by the Dark Blade were still throbbing. Antagondals decided to play it safe this time.

“Is this correct?”

“……”

Antagondals didn’t dare ask, ‘What are you talking about?’ like Ethan would. He simply waited quietly.

Even in his strange state, the Mad Doppelganger sent Antagondals flying.

As he healed his crushed bones, Antagondals replied, “It is correct, Master.”

“What is?”

“Everything, that is!”

The Mad Doppelganger sent Antagondals flying once more.

With an attack far stronger than before, Antagondals seriously considered running away.

If the Mad Doppelganger was truly consumed by madness and intended to kill Antagondals today, this might be his last chance.

“Don’t flatter me without knowing what the royals are thinking. Trash.”

“……”

“I wonder if raising disciples like this is correct. Trash. What do you think?”

“Of course, it is!”

Antagondals had little interest in what the Mad Doppelganger was thinking. He was simply flattering him, focusing only on the present situation.

And in truth, Antagondals’ own philosophy was not much different from that of the Mad Doppelganger.

Wasn’t raising a disciple as a wizard akin to raising a lion capable of tearing at the master’s throat? The master would keep the disciple in check while teaching, and the disciple would steal the master’s vision while looking for an opening—this relationship was the true inheritance of magic.

“But is it truly correct?”

“…?”

Antagondals had no idea what the Mad Doppelganger was worried about. Why did he keep asking the same question over and over?

‘Is this the limit of a thought-form made of mana? It might be fading away soon.’

The world originally rejected anything outside of its own existence. Like beings from other dimensions often did, the mana thought-form before him was no different.

Although ancient magic was used to trick the world and prolong its stay, the increasing nonsense suggested that its limit might soon be reached…

“What of the disciple inside?”

“!”

As the Mad Doppelganger’s voice grew colder, Antagondals realized that the Mad Doppelganger had returned to his usual mad self.

“He is training in magic, Master.”

“I can sense contempt in your maggot-like voice.”

At the Mad Doppelganger’s words, Antagondals felt a chill as if a blade were pressed against his neck.

Dealing with this Mad Doppelganger made him feel as if he had returned to his powerless childhood, a chilling tension where one’s head could be severed by even the slightest change in the other’s mood.

Antagondals readily admitted, “I apologize, Master. It seems I will not be able to do it.”

“You will not be able to do it?”

Originally, he would unconditionally agree with the Mad Doppelganger’s intentions, but this time was different.

No matter how he thought about it, there was no way a mere second-year student from Einroguard could fully master the fifth-circle psychokinesis domain.

Antagondals was far more knowledgeable about the level of Einroguard than the Mad Doppelganger.

Not only the overall level of the students, but even some of the professors from Einroguard who were rumored to be geniuses were incapable of such a feat at that age.

Moreover, it would be one thing if they were given ample time, but to threaten them to master it within a day…

Even a genius would find it difficult to display their abilities under such pressure.

‘If I rashly agree and the one I brought fails, he will vent his anger even more severely.’

Antagondals made a cold-blooded judgment and gave his answer. “Yes.”

“Very well. If he fails, you, trash, shall kill him.”

‘?’

Antagondals paused at the Mad Doppelganger’s words, spoken with a wicked smile.

An ominous feeling crawled up his spine.

‘What is it? What is he thinking?’

He couldn’t quite understand why Antagondals was being ordered to kill the student himself.

Was he trying to make Antagondals an enemy of Einroguard?

But in this territory, even death was denied. The Imperial Magic Corps was not so idle as to elevate someone to the position of public enemy with such a fake death.

*Thud!*

The sound echoed in the damp cave.

Antagondalus jumped, his heart hammering. The Mad Doppelganger stood before him, muscles tight, radiating a dangerous energy. It felt like the air itself was vibrating.

The old magic criminal whimpered, then forced himself to speak. “I understand,” he croaked, his voice shaking. “If I fail… you can kill me.”

Antagondalus liked killing young wizards. He liked it a lot.

What was so hard about killing a second-year student?

“But if you succeed, I will kill you.”

‘As expected.’

Antagondalus shuddered at the Mad Doppelganger’s harsh attitude.

Antagondalus thought his ‘no’ made the Doppelganger angry. Now, even if the boy loses, the Doppelganger might still kill Antagondalus.

“Forgive me, Master. You want to take my small life… How could I disagree with you? Now that I’ve said this, I might as well be dead.”

Antagondalus knelt down low, making sniffling sounds.

The Mad Doppelganger replied, disgusted, “If you spill those disgusting tears from your eyes one more time, I will kill you. You are filth. Instead of killing you, I will only take your arms.”

“Yes, yes!”

Hearing the reply, Antagondalus felt relieved.

It seemed he was a little less angry now. Even if the second-year boy failed, the anger wouldn’t be directed at Antagondalus.

“Get out.”

“Yes! Thank you, Master.”

The Mad Doppelganger stared at the distant cliff.

He wasn’t just looking at an empty cliff. He was watching the flow of countless lives moving beyond the sixteen mountain peaks.

From beyond the mountains, he could sense the efforts of many wizards, their magic pushing against the powerful barrier he had created around this place.

And above those lives, like a curtain, the Lord’s gaze rested.

It was as if he were saying that if the Mad Doppelganger stepped outside the mountain range’s magic and touched those ants, there would be no more compromise, and war would begin.

Though he usually called them dregs, the Mad Doppelganger didn’t underestimate his opponent. After all, they came from the same root as himself.

He had no intention of causing trouble. If he could achieve his goal, there was no need to fight with the dregs.

But…

Why did those dregs cherish those ants so much?

“…I don’t understand.”

“It is time, Master.”

The Mad Doppelganger nodded as if granting permission.

Antagondalus waved his wand, and the door of the cave covering the workshop opened with a rumble of stone, the heavy cave door groaned open, letting in a rush of cold, damp air. Dust motes danced in the single ray of light that pierced the gloom of the workshop.

“Come out. It’s execution time.”

The boy, angered by the taunt, walked out without a word. Lee Han’s jaw was tight, his fists clenched at his sides. *Anger is a tool,* he reminded himself, just like Master had taught him. *Focus it.*

“Has the magic been achieved?”

Again, no answer came. Antagondalus hadn’t really expected one, so he nodded and looked at the Mad Doppelganger.

“May I begin, Master?”

“Attack with all your might.”

The Mad Doppelganger spoke firmly, looking at Lee Han, not Antagondalus.

“With the resolve to kill.”

Even if Antagondalus, who wasn’t a student, died, he wouldn’t be resurrected by the power of the estate, but he didn’t really care.

Antagondalus, clutching his wand, smirked.

“Whenever you’re ready…”

*Wham!*

In an instant, Antagondalus was startled to see the three defensive spells protecting his body activate quickly.

A blast of force, like an invisible fist, slammed into Antagondalus. It moved faster than sight, hitting him like a physical storm.

“Impressive! Elemental Barrier, divide!”

As expected of a seasoned magic criminal, Antagondalus, though surprised, immediately responded.

It seemed the opponent was quite familiar with telekinetic magic that shot straight forward.

It was the easiest and simplest form, so it would have been good to learn it quickly.

Being able to make such a choice and focus in a dangerous situation deserved praise, but he had no intention of being kind.

A barrier carefully made with various elements blocked the space between them. Lee Han, without losing focus, waved his wand.

Then, the telekinetic force curved like a whip, bypassing the barrier and striking Antagondalus.

*Thud!*

‘He changed the form without saying magic words?!’

This time, even Antagondalus couldn’t help but be surprised.

This was much harder than before.

It felt as if the boy in front of him had completely mastered telekinesis.

‘But that can’t be!’

As Antagondalus tried to unleash evil magic, the Mad Doppelganger lightly warned him.

It was a warning that if he forced his way through with power without judging success, he would be killed.

Annoyed by the interference, but understanding the meaning, Antagondalus quickly changed his magic and attacked the boy.

*Bzzzt!*

With a *bzzzt* like a disturbed hive, a swarm of insects materialized in the air. Their bodies shimmered with oily green and purple, and tiny stingers dripped with venom as they buzzed in chaotic patterns, flying to bite Lee Han.

The poisonous insects formed by this magic were best for attacking simple defensive spells.

Normally, even defensive magic rarely blocked all directions of a wizard without any gaps.

These fast and poisonous insects that are good at many things would quickly go through the holes in the defense and poison the wizard.

However, Lee Han waved his wand twice, creating a solid barrier without any gaps, and then struck the poisonous insects in reverse.

The poisonous insects, buzzing as they tried to find gaps in the telekinetic barrier, were swept away by the precise strike.

‘A more difficult form…!’

At this point, Antagondalus was starting to sweat.

The moment he admitted that the boy had completely mastered telekinesis, his arms would be cut off.

Antagondalus’s form changed shape, and he transformed into a complicated monster.

Most of his body was covered in armor made of ore, making it hard to strike his weak points from the outside.

*Plop!*

However, the boy controlled the telekinetic force into a thin and sharp form, then sharply pierced the weak point.

The Mad Doppelganger was happy with the sight. The result was already decided.

“You have understood the teachings well.”

Lee Han almost lost his focus for a moment.