Red Cult (3)

First floor of the Magic Department building.

Kwang!

“It’s not budging at all.”

A huge dome-shaped defensive wall covering the entire building.

The man who had just swung his fist tilted his head and glanced at the people looking at him as he spoke.

Kim Hyeon-cheol, the martial arts instructor of Iroaz Academy, swung his arm once again.

The gauntlet struck the defensive wall.

But again, the defensive wall didn’t budge at all.

After confirming that an unidentified magic beast had appeared in Combat Class 1, the academy’s education staff checked all buildings for any anomalies.

And they discovered a dome-shaped barrier erected on the first floor of the Magic Department building.

A professor from the Magical Engineering Department, who had just returned from an outside errand, stared at the barrier while casting a detection spell.

“It seems to be a high-level barrier that employs both magic and alchemy.”

“Well… shall we keep trying until it works?”

Click!

The dark brown gauntlet emitted a hazy magical smoke.

And he swung with all his might again.

Crack!

A small crack appeared in the dome. Excited by finally getting a response, the instructor struck again with his fist technique.

The small crack soon grew to the size of a hole.

“Excuse me for a moment, Instructor.”

It was a low voice. Instructor Kim Hyeon-cheol turned his head and opened his eyes wide.

“…Student Lee Dojin? Didn’t I tell you to rest?”

Lee Dojin was clearly tired. But his anger was even greater.

He didn’t like the current situation where villains were targeting them because the 3rd and 4th year students, the senior students, were absent.

He wanted to destroy them.

With his own hands.

The villains who dared to cause trouble at Iroaz Academy, called the starting point for hunters.

The wooden sword was covered in white light.

He swung it again and again.

Endlessly, until the cracks led to destruction.

And the barrier shattered.

---

The blonde hair was soaked with sweat.

‘How ignoble.’

Rachel Walker chided herself.

It was the literal meaning. She was in an ignoble state right now.

Having consumed too much mana early on without looking at the overall battle situation, she was now being pushed back by Professor Woon Hyeongcheol.

It was a disadvantageous fight from the start.

Because Professor Woon Hyeongcheol could use magic against the students without any hesitation, while Rachel had to fight Woon Hyeongcheol while protecting the safety of the other students.

Rachel wasn’t the only student shooting magic at Woon Hyeongcheol. Even now, about a dozen students were casting spells at Woon Hyeongcheol.

However, they didn’t reach him.

Ten different spells all scattered without touching Woon Hyeongcheol’s body.

The fact that Rachel Walker, a second-year academy student, had achieved the ‘5th Circle’ was literally because Rachel Walker was a genius.

The 2nd and 3rd Circle magic of the other students couldn’t break through the magical barrier of Woon Hyeongcheol, who was at the 7th Circle.

Even if the number of spells exceeded dozens.

Fireballs and ice spears shot towards Woon Hyeongcheol were easily extinguished.

They struggled to protect themselves with defensive magic.

Rachel was essentially facing Woon Hyeongcheol alone. Rather, while carrying the burden of about 40 lives.

Kwarururung!

Another streak of lightning fell towards a male student with a thunderous sound.

Rachel moved her thin, delicate hand. She quickly drew a hand seal in the air.

An electric-type defensive magic, created from the ground up to counter the same type of magician, spread out like a horizon again.

<Lightning Curtain>

The red wave neutralized the blue lightning just before it fell on a student’s head.

The blue lightning ran along the wall of the classroom.

“Student Rachel. You are indeed a being full of talent. I acknowledge that you have the right to be that arrogant.”

The voice of Professor Woon Hyeongcheol, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, stirred in her head.

Rachel furrowed her brow.

“But the fact that you still lack experience is also becoming apparent.”

Crackle!

“If you had sincerely wished to kill me, you should have focused all your efforts on killing me regardless of what happened to the other students.”

There was nothing wrong with what he said. Rachel silently drew a magic formula in her hand.

Kwarururung!

Once again, two streaks of lightning clashed. The wave of electricity once again enveloped the classroom.

“Another one will die.”

Woon Hyeongcheol’s voice stabbed into her mind again.

The male student hit by the first lightning had died instantly. And the female student hit by lightning a while ago was in a coma.

Woon Hyeongcheol’s lightning was imbued with demonic energy. And demonic energy ate away at people’s life force.

“Thanks to your inadequacy.”

Professor Woon Hyeongcheol smiled sinisterly.

A round purple magic circle floated above the professor’s palm. The level of the 7th Circle where hand seals were no longer necessary.

An impure black lightning, somehow different from the blue lightning until now, surged between the professor’s hands.

“Despair, my student.”

Twelve black lightning bolts struck down countless times.

But they all disappeared without a trace. Simultaneously with a streak of light piercing through space.

The lightning was extinguished by the air pressure that distorted the atmosphere.

“Kuhuk!”

A scream poured from Woon Hyeongcheol’s mouth. Lee Dojin’s wooden sword had completely pierced Woon Hyeongcheol’s shoulder.

As soon as he entered the classroom, Lee Dojin had grasped the entire battle situation and used Soul Pursuit while stomping the ground.

Rachel Walker stared blankly at Lee Dojin.

Wearing a black suit, he looked like a seasoned hunter rather than a student.

As soon as she saw the wooden sword in his hand, she recalled a conversation she had with Yeon Simun, a third-year senior.

-There’s a junior who carries around a wooden sword, he’s a very interesting guy. He uses a wooden sword even when fighting monsters.

-Isn’t he just crazy?

A wooden sword in real combat. What kind of ignoble swordsman is that?

But her impression upon seeing it in person was different from her thoughts back then.

Rachel’s mouth slowly opened.

“…How noble.”

It was a word she uttered without realizing it.

The sight of the man who had swept away all the lightning and was now pointing his sword at the professor’s neck looked noble.

More than any human she had seen recently.

The face of Professor Woon Hyeongcheol, pinned against the wall with his head touching it, was deeply contorted.

It was a contortion created by pain and anger.

“You worm-like brat-!”

Curses burst from Woon Hyeongcheol’s mouth.

Crackle!

And black lightning wrapped around his right arm. It looked like a final struggle.

Although it was a magician’s attack, it felt full of killing intent.

Sensing the ominousness of the demonic energy in the lightning, Lee Dojin cut off Woon Hyeongcheol’s right arm without hesitation.

The lesson he had learned from dealing with villains was simple and clear. Not to think about mercy in his actions in any situation.

Woon Hyeongcheol’s face had transformed into that of an evil spirit in just a few minutes. He had been consumed by demonic energy after receiving a fatal attack from Lee Dojin.

Black haze surged from Woon Hyeongcheol’s body.

“Kiaaak!”

Woon Hyeongcheol, his eyes turned completely black, swung his whole body at Lee Dojin while scattering black lightning.

Avoiding all the demonic energy, Lee Dojin unleashed his sword energy.

Woon Hyeongcheol’s body, with his ankles cut, collapsed onto the classroom floor.

He didn’t intend to kill him. There were things he needed to hear, so he had to subdue him.

But Woon Hyeongcheol’s eyes turned completely black, and suddenly black blood started flowing from his ears.

Lee Dojin felt it. That those black eyes were staring at him.

Woon Hyeongcheol’s mouth slowly opened.

-You.

-Need to remember.

-It’s certain.

-Student, Lee Dojin.

With that bizarre muttering, Woon Hyeongcheol’s head suddenly swelled like a balloon.

Bang!

It exploded.

---

Lee Dojin had to be briefly detained by investigators specializing in Awakened individuals.

Fortunately, since the CCTV recordings from both Combat Class 1 and the Magic Department classroom remained intact, explaining the situation wasn’t difficult.

All the investigators could only gape at Lee Dojin’s movements in the video.

“The summoning of the magic beast, and the demonic energy still remaining in Professor Woon Hyeongcheol’s body. Considering these points, the Red Cult seems to be the most likely culprit. When did they draw the magic beast summoning array? When was the last time the teaching assistant who died as a sacrifice for the beast and Professor Woon Hyeongcheol were away from the academy for an extended period? Who were the people they contacted? We plan to investigate such matters.”

The chief investigator informed Vice Principal Cecilia of the content they planned to investigate.

This notification was both a courtesy to the vice principal and a request for smooth cooperation.

“Yes, of course. We from the academy will cooperate as well.”

---

Lee Dojin, having finished treatment at the school infirmary, came outside.

Ryu Jia was waiting outside.

Ryu Jia was still looking at Lee Dojin with her eyes closed.

“Are the kids all safe?”

At Lee Dojin’s words, Ryu Jia smiled.

“They’re safe. Hwayeon almost fainted, so we let her sleep in the dormitory.”

“That’s understandable.”

Lee Dojin recalled Baek Hwayeon who had been trying to follow him somehow.

Iroaz Academy was incredibly vast. It was natural for her to be tired after chasing him around such a wide area without knowing why.

Ryu Jia approached, her long hair fluttering in the gentle breeze.

Right up to Lee Dojin’s face.

“This time. Were you certain you could kill that black monster alone, Dojin?”

Lee Dojin pondered Ryu Jia’s question.

Was he certain he could kill it?

Lee Dojin slowly shook his head.

There was no such certainty.

“No, I wasn’t. If I had made one wrong move, I might have died.”

The black magic beast, <Helrokan>, was strong.

Its maw could have swallowed him.

It’s just that the sword technique he unleashed was faster and stronger.

Lee Dojin had a feeling that there would be many more such paper-thin difference battles in the future.

Ryu Jia took one more step forward.

Lee Dojin was flustered. The distance between Ryu Jia and himself had become too close.

About as thin as a sheet of paper.

“You could have died? Then Dojin did a bad thing.”

Ryu Jia placed her index finger on Lee Dojin’s lips. And then she caressed his right cheek along those lips.

Warmth flowed along Lee Dojin’s cheek.

“From now on, if a strong enemy like today appears, we have to fight together.”

Ryu Jia tilted her head. Their faces became close enough to touch.

“Without fail.”

Ryu Jia’s scent was felt through his sense of smell.

“Now there are too many people who would be sad if Dojin died. Hwayeon. Bit-na.”

Ryu Jia slowly removed her hand.

“Me too.”

Ryu Jia smiled brightly. And slowly passed by Lee Dojin. Lee Dojin stood dazed for a moment.

Like a martial artist who had been hit by an utterly unpredictable attack.