Chapter 26: The Master was Scolded Part 2

“Professor, seriously, no matter what, this is just….”

‘Isn’t this too much?’

The words Evan couldn’t finish due to another wave of scorching heat hovered endlessly in his mouth.

From head to toe, he was covered in dust.

His breath came in ragged gasps.

Most of all, seeing the Spirit King standing there, completely unfazed, filled him with a deep sense of helplessness.

He could understand fighting monsters, but a Spirit King? ‘Wasn’t the difficulty far too extreme?’

‘Of course, I know we don’t necessarily have to defeat it….’

For Evan and the other students who had reached the top floor, their ultimate goal was to escape. Just like in the lower levels of the tower, there had to be another way besides defeating the Spirit King.

So, he thought and thought again.

How to withstand the searing heat ahead.

Where in this vast space the students’ exit might be hidden.

Then, at that moment—boom.

One of the students battling the Spirit King was struck by a blast of hot wind and slammed into the wall.

A groan followed.

Evan hurried toward the familiar, battered face, just as exhausted as he was.

He reached out to check on him, but—

—Thud.

“Hah, if you’re tired… just give up now. Stop blocking my way and move.”

“…Lucas.”

Despite Evan’s concern, only a displeased voice returned from the red-haired student.

As if to say, we’re competitors right now, so don’t get in my way.

However, from Evan’s perspective, blindly charging forward was pointless.

No matter how talented Lucas was—his closest rival and one of the academy’s top students—it didn’t change the reality of their situation.

So Evan forcibly stepped in his way.

And added, “Running in without a plan is just stupid.”

“I can say with confidence—Lucas, you’ll pass out before the Spirit King goes down.”

“…Tsk.”

And so, at last, Lucas Brier’s steps came to a brief halt.

His irritated voice followed soon after.

“What, you got some kind of plan?”

In response, Evan laid out the three things he had noticed.

First, the Spirit King never attacked first, no matter what.

Second, it never stepped even a grain of sand beyond the summoning magic circle on the floor.

“And third—it only moves after taking our attacks. Even though it doesn’t have to.”

“So, what? It’s just messing with us?”

“Only the Spirit King itself would know that. Anyway, what matters for us right now is—”

Just as Evan and Lucas continued their discussion—

Step.

Another student who had reached the top floor approached them.

“Do you have a good idea?”

“Pri—Princess Irina?”

Evan’s voice wavered at the unexpected appearance of Irina.

Lucas also fell silent, looking slightly caught off guard.

But Irina was here for the same reason as them—to complete Letter’s assignment.

So in the end, she spoke, voicing one of the hypotheses Evan had been considering.

“There was no magic circle at the entrance of this floor. The only one here is that summoning circle over there.”

“Then, don’t tell me….”

“Yes. It seems the key lies in the Spirit King’s summoning magic circle.”

This new hypothesis gained credibility based on what they had learned in Letter’s classes.

Dissecting and analyzing magic circles.

And then reconstructing them.

The key wasn’t defeating the Spirit King.

Rather, it was about altering the summoning circle.

“That summoning circle is essentially a gateway. A link between the Spirit Realm and this one.”

Evan’s gaze shifted slightly, landing at the very center of the magic circle.

Almost immediately, he identified one symbol among the complex designs—one that wasn’t functioning.

“I’m going to change the exit of that gateway into an escape route from this floor.”

He aimed to turn the very magic circle that had summoned the Spirit King into a door to their freedom.

Of course, there was no way the Spirit King would just stand by while someone tampered with its summoning circle.

“So, I need you both to distract it. Together.”

“Who do you think you’re ordering arou—!”

“Lucas. Just do it. Unless you have a better idea?”

“…Tsk!”

And so, the operation began.

Lucas and Irina moved toward the Spirit King, which had already taken down most of the other students.

『Oh? You’re coming? You’re actually coming for me, Ifrit, instead of running?』

“Full of yourself, aren’t you….”

The key was time.

To minimize the time needed to cast their spells, releasing as many as possible in quick succession to obscure the Spirit King’s vision.

That was why Lucas and Irina deliberately prepared their spells—just as Letter had taught them.

Soon, countless magic circles appeared in the air.

And because the Spirit King had never dodged or ignored an attack, they were certain.

It would remain in place until their barrage ended.

And just as before, it would take every hit before retaliating.

“On my signal, we go all out.”

“…I’m already set.”

The prepared magic circles from Letter’s teachings ignited in unison.

No need for incantations—just a trace of mana was enough.

Not even a second of delay.

BOOOOOM!

A storm of magic surged toward the Spirit King, striking its unyielding form.

Dust and debris filled the air.

And in that moment, Evan slipped through the chaos, darting straight to the center of the summoning circle.

He channeled his mana into the existing symbols, gradually altering their structure.

『Kuh… Kuhaha… HAHAHAHAHA!』

Even as the floor and ceiling trembled from the Spirit King’s thunderous laughter, it showed no sign of faltering.

As if it found Lucas and Irina’s attacks nothing more than a momentary amusement.

And before long—

***

『My turn.』

—Whoosh!

With burning eyes, Ifrit tore through the dust and launched its attack.

Lucas and Irina, using what little mana they had left, fought back with all their might.

At the moment when the raging flames threatened to engulf them, their quick thinking and reflexes kicked in.

Sometimes they blocked, sometimes they dodged—while simultaneously chanting new spells to strike back.

『Come on, more! Put in more effort, you brats!』

They continued buying time for Evan.

‘How much time had passed since then?’

Eventually, Ifrit completely overpowered both Lucas and Irina, throwing them to the ground like discarded rags.

Only then did it finally notice Evan’s absence.

And at that exact moment—

—Clank.

—Clank, clank, clank.

The sound of mechanisms locking into place echoed through the air.

Then, a sudden burst of movement.

Evan, emerging from the dust, rushed forward and lifted both Irina and Lucas.

Without hesitation, he leaped into the newly altered summoning magic circle—one that now operated in an entirely different manner.

—Flash!

Amidst the thick smoke and the stench of burning air, the three of them vanished completely from the top floor.

Ifrit, now alone, could only mutter a single word.

『…When?』

A question with no answer.

And that unspoken response became the very signal of their mission’s success.

***

Outside the tower, the spectators—who had been monitoring the students’ progress—erupted into murmurs.

“They… they made it out?”

“Look! Over there!”

For the first time, the screen broadcasting the students’ journey no longer showed the interior of the tower.

For the first time, it displayed the three students who had successfully escaped from the top floor.

However, the three had no energy left to care about the commotion outside.

“…Good work.”

The moment they saw Letter waiting for them, they collapsed onto the ground.

And almost immediately, their exhaustion gave way to complaints.

“Professor, I hate you… seriously….”

“How could you even think of unleashing the Spirit King? How? Just how?”

“…You’re completely insane….”

Despite their utter lack of respect, Letter only smiled awkwardly.

Even he couldn’t deny that the task had been absurdly difficult.

But in the end, the students had pulled through.

And that was what mattered.

—Swish.

Cure.

The first step was simple healing.

Afterward, Letter summoned a tangible cloud to carry the three of them.

Their destination was clear—the medical wing of Primus Academy.

Upon their arrival, Miriel let out a deep sigh at the all-too-familiar sight of Letter bringing in injured students yet again.

“Alright, I swear I’m about to die,” Letter said casually.

Still, she checked on the students first.

After all, the Trial of Ascension wasn’t over yet.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Letter disappeared from the infirmary again.

And as expected—he returned in less than ten minutes.

This time, with even more injured students.

“Ugh… Professor….”

“…Please… save us….”

“Tsk. You really turned them into corpses….”

***

Meanwhile, at the entrance of Letter’s Tower—

The lower-year students of Primus Academy, those just beginning their Mana Design Fundamentals class, were taking their first steps inside.

And at that very moment, atop the tower’s highest floor—

『Transform.』

Letter was casting a special spell on Ifrit.

‘The reason?’

Its current form was a bit too terrifying for young students like Isabelle.

“This should do.”

『W-what are you doing all of a sudden?! This wasn’t part of the deal!』

“Someone said the kids might get traumatized. Gotta show some consideration, you know?”

Looking at the now smaller and much younger-looking Spirit King, Letter chuckled.

And even added a compliment.

“Not bad. Kinda cute.”

Then, just before vanishing back into thin air, he left Ifrit with one last request.

“Alright then. Do your thing again, Ifrit.”

***

Time passed.

And eventually, the young students reached the top floor of the tower.

The moment they arrived—

“…It’s small.”

“It’s tiny.”

“It looks… really little.”

They all voiced their thoughts upon seeing Ifrit’s now significantly altered appearance.

Feeling underestimated, Ifrit couldn’t help but shout in a high-pitched voice.

『S-shut up, you little brats!』

“Ack! It’s mad!!”

“S-sorry!!”