Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 995

The Mad Doppelganger didn’t wait for his enemy to finish talking. He pushed his student out of the way.

Waiting for someone to finish speaking before fighting is only in old tales. Real wizard fights start with surprise attacks and clever tricks.

“Si…”

The Mad Doppelganger started to say the spell, trying to attack first, but he felt uneasy.

Because the Mad Doppelganger and the Skull Headmaster were very similar, they could guess what the other was thinking, at least a little.

The Mad Doppelganger knew the Skull Headmaster would have tried to attack first if he could.

…Could it be?

Too late. Begreck!

The Skull Headmaster’s voice boomed. Suddenly, Professor Volardi appeared behind the Doppelganger.

The professor held a sword. Its blade was clear like glass, and strange energy glowed from it, showing it was not from this world.

Then, there was a sharp tearing sound. Professor Volardi thrust his sword like lightning before the Mad Doppelganger could react.

Aiming for the neck, heart, and lungs, Professor Volardi didn’t stop.

Even in this good situation, things could change with one mistake. The opponent was that powerful.

Professor Volardi wanted to stop his opponent by using the power of the microcosm.

The sword the Skull Headmaster gave him was a magic sword that put the idea of another dimension into a weapon.

It was a good weapon against beings made of thought, who could not be hurt by normal weapons. But no matter how sharp the sword, if the person using it wasn’t skilled, it couldn’t even cut paper.

The cry of his student reached Professor Volardi’s ear as he counted his attacks.

“Professor! Please wait a moment!”

Professor Volardi stopped his attack for a moment.

Right away, the Mad Doppelganger got his strength back. The space around them twisted strangely, pushing the attacker away.

Knowing the surprise attack had failed, Professor Volardi quickly decided to retreat. He jumped back through dimensions to escape.

…Are you even my disciple!??!!!?

The Skull Headmaster was shocked and glared at Professor Volardi, who had come back to his side, and yelled.

The Skull Headmaster usually spoke respectfully to professors, but he was so surprised that he forgot this time.

To stop just because his own student asked him to, of all things.

“I’m sorry.”

Is ‘sorry’ going to fix this? Are you really Begreck!?

He didn’t bring Professor Garcia because he thought she might be too weak, but he didn’t know the trusted Begreck would make such a mistake.

“…You’ve planned this well.”

The Mad Doppelganger said, as if spitting out the words.

It was such a strong attack that he would have been trapped if his student hadn’t cried out.

“That sword…”

This sword is made with powerful magic. It attacks the very being of someone. You should be honored. The territory’s entire yearly budget was spent to make that sword once.

Even though he escaped the opponent’s hidden attack, the Mad Doppelganger didn’t look happy.

The Skull Headmaster seemed completely confident.

That meant he was ready even if the first attack didn’t work.

-They are truly monsters.

The hamster was scared and squeaked.

Thanks to the alcohol, Ethan understood what had happened by using his greatly increased wisdom.

First, Professor Volardi’s attack wasn’t normal magic, but space-time magic using dimensions.

Even for Ethan, with several archmages here (one as a hamster), it would be impossible to trick all their senses with normal magic.

He must have set the space ahead of time, kept the professor waiting in another dimension, and then attacked with a signal.

But even if he could guess how it was done, he didn’t know the details.

‘Other dimensions can’t be used so easily for space-time travel. Is there a dimension that can be used as the wizard wants?’

He could guess how the attack was done, but he couldn’t even guess how the magic sword was made.

Taking ideas to make a sword.

“It seems you haven’t listened to the royal family’s warnings. Are you sure you won’t regret it even if the territory is destroyed?”

The Mad Doppelganger said, gathering magic.

He was ready to die, but that only mattered if he decided it himself.

Also, being trapped by a weak doppelganger wasn’t worth talking about.

Even if it was the magic tower his student belonged to, the Mad Doppelganger didn’t plan to break his word.

From the moment the Skull Headmaster broke the rule and came closer, the fight had started.

And that fight would destroy everything nearby.

You know that too, without me saying it.

“……”

The Skull Headmaster’s words were more scary than any threat.

The Mad Doppelganger knew right away.

Since the Skull Headmaster was like him, he wouldn’t have come without any plans.

Look outside.

With those words, all the broken pieces were cleared away, and the cave disappeared. They could see everything around them – the mountains and the town of Einroguard below.

And the strange dream barrier around it.

“You’ve used powerful magic over the entire territory?”

That’s right.

The Skull Headmaster answered calmly.

There was no need to explain how much planning and money this great magic took.

The Mad Doppelganger nodded, seeing the barrier that turned any damage into dreams.

“Very good. The royal family doesn’t know this magic.”

That’s probably right. Because you are trapped here.

Behind the Skull Headmaster, magical circles with patterns like complicated drawings started to appear.

The Mad Doppelganger summoned his crown and staff to fight back. A rooster was carved on the head of the staff, a snake on the end, and a warrior on the body.

I am a being that shouldn’t exist. Because of my fate, I won’t say I have no regrets. That’s why I was more gentle than I had to be.

“You’re talking nonsense. Are you saying that an ant not hurting the sun is also an act of mercy?”

But you crossed the line. You dared to kidnap the leader’s student in the territory.

With those words, the Skull Headmaster tried to open the gates of magic.

At that moment, Ethan shouted.

“Please wait a moment, Headmaster!”

What is it, Batnaz?

“…Yes?”

You traitor. All these professors and gold coins are suffering for you, and you’re taking his side?

Ethan was speechless at the sudden accusation.

What the…

“What do you mean by taking his side? Isn’t all this happening because the Headmaster left his post in the first place!”

I told you, we needed to prepare to trap him. You should have made the enemy think you were not a threat, and then attacked suddenly, but instead, you foolishly fell for the enemy and took his side? Hmph. Very disappointing.

The Skull Headmaster waved his hand as if he didn’t want to hear any more from his bat student.

Even the Mad Doppelganger didn’t seem to want his student’s words. As the two archmages joined forces, all the strangers were sent far away beyond space.

Wheel of Dharma!

“Be released, Abraxas!”

-It’s the end of the world. We need to run further away!

The hamster squeaked, realizing the two powerful wizards were about to use their strongest magic and fight.

But Ethan shook his head.

“No. I’m going to persuade him!”

-…What did you drink to go crazy! Get a grip! I’m going to crawl into that colliding world… Cough.

The hamster groaned under the pressure from above.

Professor Volardi told the hamster to be quiet. The hamster was sad that another mad wizard had joined them.

“Can you persuade him?”

“…I’m not sure, but I’m going to try to persuade him.”

“That Doppelganger could become dangerous at any time. You know that, right?”

“Yes!”

“I understand. I’ll send the signal.”

Professor Volardi nodded as if he wouldn’t ask any more questions.

The Skull Headmaster was trying to trap the opponent completely because of that danger.

Even if he reversed the summoning, the same thing could happen again if he came back later, so he was trying to trap him forever in a place where neither summoning nor reversing was possible.

But the student, knowing the opponent’s danger, stepped forward to persuade the Skull Headmaster.

Then, as a teacher, he would just believe and help.

“…Thank you. Professor.”

Ethan was truly grateful.

It wouldn’t have been an easy choice for Professor Volardi either.

The Skull Headmaster was Professor Volardi’s boss and teacher, and he had already disobeyed an order once, hadn’t he?

Also, in this situation, Ethan’s words didn’t seem likely to work.

And yet, he would believe and help because he was his student.

This was the deep trust between teacher and student. Ethan was proud to be Professor Volardi’s student.

After bowing to the professor, Ethan also thanked the hamster.

“Thank you, Hamster-nim.”

-…Why me… You, you?! Don’t tell me you’re taking me with you!?

The hamster realized Ethan’s plan and trembled.

This madman was trying to take him into the storm of that world!

“I need a wizard to advise me. And the alcohol is wearing off.”

-Isn’t there another wizard next to you! You little brat, don’t tell me you’re taking me because it’s dangerous!

After quieting the squeaking hamster, Ethan focused on the battle.

He couldn’t miss a moment as he had to somehow step in and persuade the Skull Headmaster.

The staff the Mad Doppelganger held was like a world of its own. Every time he swung it, a new sky opened, and countless angels appeared below.

But to the Skull Headmaster, no matter how special the world, it was just great magic he already knew, learned from the dragons long ago. Of course, he was ready for it.

As the Wheel of Dharma started to roll, the angels disappeared. The Skull Headmaster shouted as if declaring.

Since Abraxas is gone, I can’t use my special knowledge magic either. What’s next? Hurry up and use it. Let’s finish this before today is over. Unlike you, I have a lot of paperwork.

Both were archmages, but one knew all the opponent’s magic, and the other knew none of it.

Also, one of them was the leader of this land and could use all the power that came with it.

The Mad Doppelganger’s fight was only buying time.

As the mountains turned into a lake, the dream barrier around Einroguard stretched so much it looked like it would break, and the battle’s end was clear.

Thud!

The Mad Doppelganger knelt on one knee. He didn’t say anything, but just looking at his pale face, you could tell the match was over.

Professor Volardi, contact below to prepare for trapping him. You’ve been waiting a while. …Professor Volardi. Professor Volardi. Begreck, what are you doing?

To trap someone like the Mad Doppelganger forever needed a lot of planning, and wizards for that were waiting below. They were the wizards the Skull Headmaster had worked very hard and spent a lot to hire.

When Professor Volardi, who was supposed to contact them, didn’t answer, the Skull Headmaster shouted, annoyed.

Batnaz. If you keep acting like a spy…

The Skull Headmaster, about to yell at Ethan, who was next to Professor Volardi, the obvious troublemaker, finally felt uneasy.

That’s a fake!

‘Microcosm!’

Ethan used a special magic trick called the Microcosm, which he had secretly learned.

The Skull Headmaster didn’t expect Ethan to master the Microcosm so well, and he was caught off guard.

Ethan used the Microcosm magic to hide and get closer to his target.

By the time the Skull Headmaster realized it, Ethan was in front of the Mad Doppelganger, blocking him.

“Please wait a moment!”

-Please, just let me go and you two can talk it out…

The hamster squeaked sadly.