episode_0054

The nickname ‘Opening’ wasn’t attached to Ena by mere coincidence.

Land, Sea, and Sky. Each domain is a gift from a supreme being that has existed since the birth of humanity, and exploring them is the role of those who walk the path of magic.

The first mage, Glutt, said so.

Therefore, following his will, only one nickname representing each domain could exist in each era. There were times when some positions were vacant due to a lack of talent, but fortunately, all three positions are currently filled.

The practitioners representing each position were as follows.

The Supreme Earth Practitioner representing the Land, Okgon (玉坤).

The Virtuous Water Flow Practitioner representing the Sea, Haechung (海靑),

And the Violent Lightning Practitioner representing the Sky, Gaebyeok (開闢),

Traditionally, the mage representing the sky was always taken by the Constellation Practitioners. The starry sky moving according to their gestures and the explosion of stars blooming from their fingertips always presented people with wonder. Even fellow mages couldn’t help but admire the beautiful and violent spectacle of those stars.

That was until it was all shattered by pure white lightning.

There are now only a few beings who remember that day.

A girl who walked the battlefield, scattering pure white lightning with an expressionless face, in the Race War that erupted just 10 years after the fall of the Magic Kingdom, the effective ruler of the continent. Wherever she went, the sky tore apart, and a monster who defied heaven by even piercing through the stars of those arrogant Constellation Practitioners to make them her own power source.

Even planets that obscured the sky were useless. Because no matter what the sky was like, that monster invariably brought forth a clear sky.

That’s why it’s Gaebyeok. After being covered in blood, and that blood even turned to ash and disappeared. From sometime on, she was called that.

It was a history of war that now only remained in literature. Thanks to this, there are now not many people who truly know how heavy the name Gaebyeok is, or why that mage acquired such infamy.

However, those who remained always said this when referring to Gaebyeok.

Never, under any circumstances, turn them into an enemy.

It was the highest praise directed at an opponent who was once an enemy.

***

Baengnak (白落) fell unexpectedly. There were no dark clouds in the sky, yet for some reason, a sharp bolt of lightning fell from a clear sky. Vibration and noise strong enough to shake even the main building where classes were being held struck the windows, and the gaze of all academy personnel, including the students, turned towards that place.

“What is it, all of a sudden?”

“Is it going to rain? But… the sky is clear?”

“It must be a sunshower.”

“Does lightning strike during a sunshower?”

“Hey, hey, be quiet. The professor will get angry again.”

The classroom where Combat Magic class was taking place was also the same. However, unlike other places, the commotion didn’t spread much in that classroom. This was because Professor Florence, who would get furious like a wildfire if anyone made even a peep during class, was firmly standing at the podium. Thanks to this, the students couldn’t look outside even if they wanted to.

Professor Florence would probably continue the class regardless of what was happening outside. They suppressed the sigh that was about to escape and forced more strength into their hands holding their pens.

“…Ah.”

But contrary to their expectations, Professor Florence couldn’t proceed with the class. Instead, as if captivated by something, he approached the window and stared beyond it. The students tilted their heads, looking at his back, but he paid them no mind whatsoever.

All his attention was focused on the pure white lightning connecting the sky and the earth.

“It’s magnificent.”

Lightning is originally just a momentary flash of light. Its instantaneous destructive power and light are not negligible, but its duration is notably lacking compared to other natural phenomena. This characteristic is naturally reflected in lightning magic formulas as well.

But… that lightning wasn’t disappearing. Rather, it was growing in size and adding to its brilliance, as if it would incinerate the entire sky and earth.

How could that be possible? What kind of mental image does it hold, what kind of uniqueness does it possess, to be able to perform such a miracle?

Florence immediately grasped who the owner of that lightning was. That’s why he couldn’t contain his excitement even more.

The foundation of Combat Magic, which he specialized in, lies in war and subjugation. The great figure who had experienced the history of that war was right there. Reasons for coming here or suddenly casting magic were irrelevant in the face of a mage’s curiosity and fighting spirit.

I want to see it with my own eyes. I want to feel it with my body.

That greatness.

That power!

“Professor Florence! It’s an attack! A strange 괴인 attacked the west mountain of the academy!”

At the moment Florence clenched his fist, the academy’s supply officer appeared as the classroom’s front door opened and shouted that.

At the word ‘attack’, the students began to murmur. Some of them wondered whether they should get up and run away, or fight against the school’s crisis. While they were doing so, Professor Florence remained silent. He stared at the pure white radiance that was beginning to grow and opened his mouth.

“Professor Florence!”

Then, the supply officer who had approached Florence’s side before anyone knew it grabbed his shoulder and shouted. He opened his mouth to yell at Florence that they must evacuate immediately.

But Florence was faster than that.

He still looked out the window, his lips parting.

“A great mage is there.”

“…What did you say?”

“Perhaps a living monster, containing the essence of all combat magic theories defined to date, is right there.”

“Professor Florence. This isn’t a training situation right now. I don’t know what you’re suddenly talking about—”

“As a junior walking the same path of a combat mage, how could I pretend not to see that?”

Florence ignored the supply officer chattering beside him and threw the window wide open.

At that moment. Pure white radiance began to burst forth explosively from the sky. Soon, the light split into lightning bolts and fell towards the earth.

KWA-AAAAAAAAAANG!!!

The world lights up. The sudden radiance beyond limits momentarily dyes the vision black. The senses throughout the body expand from the flesh-cutting killing intent and current transmitted through the air. Hands trembled just from the impact of the violent magic power felt.

All of it was nothing short of delightful.

“‘The sky on the path she walked was endlessly clear, but the earth was completely reduced to ash.’”

“What on earth are you—!”

“I have only now understood the meaning of that sentence. Senior.”

Florence tore his lips into a wide grin and flung his body out through the open window.

“Now, I shall go to see you.”

WHIIIIIIII!!

The wind supported his body.

***

Ena stood aloof in the sky and looked down upon the earth. The pure white lightning dancing behind her wriggled as her eyes moved, burning and tearing apart trees and ground. It was destruction achieved without the manifestation of any magic formula, merely by the pure release of magic power.

This exponentially increased the amount of magic power consumed, but for Ena, who was inherently overflowing with magic power, it wasn’t a burdensome level.

“…Huu.”

The wind blowing was cold. It had gotten quite warm, but the weather was still chilly. It seemed there was still quite a bit of time left until summer arrived. It had been quite some time since she became unbound by seasons, but her preferred season still remained.

‘When summer comes, maybe I’ll go to the sea with Asel.’

Thinking that, Ena let out a small chuckle. Then, as if surprised herself, she covered her mouth with one hand.

Again. She thought about Asel alone again, and laughter came out on its own. It had been like this before, but it felt like it had gotten worse recently. Moreover, for the past few days, it was hard to look Asel directly in the face, and if they talked for a long time, her heart would tickle, making it hard to endure.

‘What could be the reason?’

Ena pondered for a moment, but couldn’t come up with an answer. A deep sigh escaped her lips.

Well, it’s fine. Anyway, this wasn’t what was important right now.

Ena narrowed her eyes and glanced at the academy professors gathered at the entrance of the mountain. Although they looked like small dots from so far away, she could clearly perceive them talking about various things with urgent expressions.

She could eavesdrop, but didn’t feel the need to. Anyway, the situation wouldn’t change no matter what they chattered about.

She was aware that this current situation was a play created by her and Friede. Thus, she wasn’t getting excessively angry or engaging in destructive acts. She planned to rampage moderately, talk about something related to Asel, and then leave.

The conversation with the Alliance was already finished. The Alliance Leader, who was planning to immediately storm the academy in person to ascertain the truth of the incident, respected Ena’s wishes for now. But she decided to step in after Ena finished her business here.

It was a matter of indifference. Stopping Noleum was the academy’s job, not something Ena needed to concern herself with.

“…Honestly, if you ask if she wasn’t really angry, that wasn’t the case. It’s just that it wasn’t to the extent of losing her reason and rampaging.”

If Asel had died or remained unconscious for a long period, she would have wiped the academy itself off the map. Regardless of casualties or anything else, it was certain that at the very least, all academy personnel would have been incinerated alive. Ena knew herself very well.

But there was no need to do that now. Asel seemed to want to return to the academy, and she had made a deal with Friede, so she couldn’t engage in random acts of destruction, tearing things apart indiscriminately.

Of course, if you ask if Friede was blameless in the current situation, that wasn’t the case. However, since she had promised a proper compensation for this, Ena just endured for a moment and held hands with her.

She was merely granted a reprieve. Her fate was planned to be decided later, depending on what compensation she offered and what actions she took.

“…Huu.”

Her thoughts were long. Ena exhaled slowly and gradually drew up her magic power.

She planned to hold back just enough to release her anger moderately.

‘First, I should seal off this area.’

Thinking that, Ena brought her hand down from top to bottom. Following that movement, her magic power surged once, and the lightning that had been rampaging indiscriminately formed a single shape beneath Ena’s feet.

[Lightning Spear (雷槍)]

KWARRRRRRR!!!

A gigantic lightning spear revealed its might. Magic power that made even the chattering professors shudder pulsed, and Ena plunged it directly towards the ground. With just that, the world flashed for a moment, and ears lost their function from the explosive roar.

The professors who couldn’t protect themselves in time collapsed, showing pained expressions, and through their midst, Florence, riding the wind, flew in at high speed.

Without reducing speed, he faced Ena’s blue gaze looking at him and shouted.

“One move!”

“….”

“Please grant it!”

From his feet, formless wind awls were rapidly shot out. As magic used by a high-tier practitioner of the 7th rank, their power was truly formidable.

But that was all. The level was far insufficient to pierce Ena’s defense.

PAJIJIJIJIK!!

The lightning pouring from Ena’s entire body tore and swallowed the wind. Without any resistance, it vanished instantly, as if encountering a being it dared not resist.

Florence’s attack returned to nothingness so futilely. But his face was still full of smiles.

The mage’s fighting spirit and curiosity relentlessly spurred him on. This was just the first move. There was not even the slightest thought of being satisfied with just this.

A battle where defeat was certain. So he would lose as miserably as possible, pouring everything into it.

To learn even one more thing.

To feel even one more thing.

Even one more—

“Your moves are obvious.”

Ena said, looking down at Florence.

“And I have no intention of playing along.”

She extended her hand towards him.

[White Radiance Summons Death (白輝招死)]

PAJIZIZIZIJIK!!!

A pure white sphere of lightning explosively bloomed from her extended hand and shot towards Florence.

It was too late to dodge. The speed at which it was fired truly surpassed imagination. So he, constructing a defensive magic formula as quickly as possible, moved as far away from the lightning sphere as possible by riding the wind.

But the lightning was faster than he was at getting out of the magic’s range.

KWAJIZIJIK!!

The shield created by focusing all his nerves vanished without any resistance. The wind he was riding on decomposed as if reverse-calculated the moment it touched the sphere’s impact. The unique mobility of a wind practitioner was sealed in an instant, and simultaneously, the lightning sphere reached right in front of Florence.

“…Ah.”

A death cry escaped his lips.

PAJIZIZIZIZIJIK!!!

Florence’s body was engulfed in pure white light. He felt pain as if his whole body was being ripped apart and plummeted straight down.

The difference between one who studies combat magic and one who creates it firsthand was that extreme.

Academic passion and fighting spirit were nothing compared to that.

“Lady Ena!”

An familiar voice was heard from beyond the bushes where the fallen Florence was. As Ena cast her gaze there, Fernan, with his sword fully clad in aura, leaped towards her.

Before their eyes even met, he brought his sword down diagonally.

JJEOJEOJEOK!!

Fernan’s sword was blocked by Ena’s magic power and pushed back in mid-air. But not an ounce of regret was visible on Fernan’s face.

It was a natural thing. He had no intention whatsoever of harming Ena.

He merely intended to convey one message.

“This is a message from the Headmaster. Half of the people present here support the Headmaster, and the other half are guys who sided with the corrupt faction. I am on the supporting side. Anyway, the Headmaster’s faction, including me, is prepared to be half-killed by Lady Ena, so you may attack vigorously without hesitation.”

“Is he on your side too?”

“No. Professor Florence isn’t on either side. If anything, you could say he’s a scholar obsessed with magic.”

“Is that so?”

That was about the extent of her interest. Ena extinguished her interest in the mage who had been knocked out by her magic and looked at Fernan, narrowing her eyes.

“You said I could attack without hesitation, didn’t you.”

“Yes. Please feel free to destroy this area to your heart’s content! Anyway, I won’t be paying for the restoration costs!”

“You. You knocked out my disciple during the entrance exam.”

“…Yes?”

An unexpected remark popped out of her mouth. The moment Fernan questioned back, Ena grabbed Fernan’s sword with her hand and manifested the magic formula right then.

“You should pass out today too.”

[Lightning Fan (雷化扇)]

PAJIZIZIZIJIK!!

The lightning that poured down in a fan shape covered Fernan’s upper body exactly as it was.