episode_0022

A forest at night is cold. Especially so in winter. If one doesn’t make a fire or keep their body warm, they will die of hypothermia in an instant.

While superhumans who have mastered mana were somewhat free in such environments, they were not completely liberated. They, too, had to bow their heads before harsh nature. That was the reason why mages always accompanied long-distance expeditions or labyrinth explorations.

Their convenience, such as starting a fire with a single gesture, spending the night without a night watch using boundary magic, and dealing with intrusions through barriers, was so excellent it was unrivaled by other superhumans. Ellen, who had been on expeditions on a family level, knew very well how important mages were.

Thanks to this, she could also well understand how remarkable a mage Asel was.

A cave slightly away from the Golem Generation Zone. The party made a fire at the cave entrance and created temporary beds with leaves they had brought. Originally, they would have had to sleep on the hard ground with only leaves spread, but thanks to Asel’s magic, they were able to get some rest in a relatively soft place.

“Where did you learn magic like this?”

“A maid who was at the mansion. She was someone who researched life magic, so I was able to inherit a few.”

“A maid is a mage?”

“Most people who live in Weiham are mages.”

The beds were arranged in a circle around the campfire. A wind curtain was set up at the cave entrance to prevent cold air from penetrating into the cave. Doing this allowed them to sleep warmly even in winter. If they had a tent, they could have camped better than this, but for now, this was the best.

The campsite setup was finished with this. Asel enlarged the campfire one more time and stepped outside the cave for a moment to set up boundary magic. It was magic that would make a sound erupt if someone entered its range. While setting up traps that directly attacked was also an option, indiscriminately dealing with people who held no hostility didn’t suit his nature.

‘This is enough.’

Steam formed on his exhaled breath. Asel checked that the magic was working properly, then looked up at the sky for a moment.

The dark clouds, seen after a long time, were spewing rain. It wasn’t raining heavily, but it seemed best to refrain from external activities until the rain stopped. While no one in the party would catch a cold from being in the rain, there was no harm in being cautious.

Passing through the wind curtain, he returned inside the cave. Elena was already trying to sleep, lying on her bed, and Ellen was sharpening her axe blade. She, who had been sharpening the blade with the whetstone she brought, saw Asel and smiled lightly.

“Are you finished?”

“Roughly.”

Asel said that and plopped down on his bed.

Even though it was just a pile of leaves called a bed, this was enough to be grateful for. He nodded his head in satisfaction and lay back.

“Do just enough and sleep. We’ll finish the exam tomorrow.”

“Understood. I’ll just do this and go right to sleep.”

The exam period was one week in total, but if a certain amount of cores were gathered, it was possible to submit them earlier and finish the exam in advance. There was no need to be stuck in the forest for a whole week. By tomorrow, they would have no business in this forest.

‘It was long.’

Asel thought, looking up at the cave ceiling.

Five days had already passed since he left Weiham. He wanted to go back quickly and meet his Master, Evelyne, and Hailey. Since the opportunities to see them would decrease once he was formally admitted to the Academy later, he had to spend enough time with them before then.

These were people who now felt like family. Their relationship was very precious to Asel as well. There was no need to mention Evelyne, his blood relation, and the same went for Ena and Hailey. A life without them was no longer imaginable.

He wondered how he had lived before. The taste of moldy bread scraps and water mixed with stone powder that he had considered good in the slums was no longer even a memory. His unfortunate life completely disappeared from the day Ena took him in.

Thinking that, a smile naturally formed. Asel chuckled, recalling Ena’s unique poker face.

‘Should I give her a hug when I go back?’

He inwardly thought she seemed to like physical contact, so she probably wouldn’t refuse. It was the moment Asel closed his eyes thinking that.

Piiiiiik!!

The boundary magic was activated. Elena, who had been lying down, shot up, and Ellen’s face hardened coldly, gripping the sharply sharpened axe. Asel also opened his closed eyes and slowly raised his mana.

“Asel, does the magic perhaps catch animals too?”

“No.”

At that immediate reply, Ellen immediately activated her aura. A cold light gathered in her eyes. Power entered the hand holding the axe, and a chilling aura, as if ready to cut down anything instantly, spread out from around her.

Elena also raised her blood qi and twitched her nose. Then she slightly furrowed her brow.

“…I smell blood.”

“Is it an injured person?”

“No. There’s only a little of their own blood, and the rest is someone else’s blood.”

“That means they’re not a welcome guest.”

Footsteps were getting closer. Ellen spread her energy to ascertain the level of the unwelcome guest, but only their presence was felt. No level was detected at all, as if they were completely inanimate. This meant only one thing.

That the opponent was a monster standing far above her. Ellen clicked her tongue and looked back at Asel.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Male. Height is roughly 180. Don’t know the weight, and the arms are a bit long. The clothes he’s wearing are high-quality, practical attire. Judging by the sword at his waist, he seems to be a swordsman, and there’s a stab wound on his left forearm.”

“…What are you doing?”

Ellen asked, frowning, but Asel did not answer. Instead, he continued to describe the scene flowing into his mind.

Boundary magic has a wide variety of types. The magic Asel set up was his own original formula, a synthesis of a amplification-type magic that produces a loud sound and a surveillance-type magic that allows for observation from a distance the moment it’s activated. Thanks to this, he gained a lot of information.

“Looking at the blood dripping from the wound, it doesn’t seem like he was injured long ago. Besides that, the bloodstains on his body are, as Elena said, someone else’s. The opponent’s level is… Judging by the fact that it can’t be gauged, they are at least a Master.”

“…A Master? Was such a monster mixed in with the participants?”

“They are not a participant.”

Asel’s face hardened coldly at the sound of footsteps now audible right in front of them, and he continued.

“An outsider.”

“Correct!”

At the same time he spoke, the wind curtain was cut straight through. The curtain that had been blocking the rain scattered into the air, and beyond it, a soaking wet man walked out. He swept the hair stuck to his face upwards and smiled faintly at the party.

“Hello, friends. Are you doing well with your exam?”

“Who are you?”

Ellen asked, raising her axe. Fernan wore a bitter smile at her chilling momentum.

“You’re very hostile. Have we met before?”

“I ask again. Who are you?”

“I’m an Academy professor. Fernan Clark. You’ve heard of me, right?”

“…Fernan Clark?”

Ellen chewed over the name, her face distorting.

Fernan Clark. The eldest son of the Clark House, a swordsman who achieved brilliant feats in the Demon Extermination Battle. A rising monster, rumored to have recently achieved Master status, appeared before the party’s eyes.

It was Ellen’s first time seeing Fernan’s face in person as well. After the Extermination Battle, he was someone who stayed holed up in the Academy so much that there were no opportunities to meet him. Such a person, unbelievably, was met not inside the Academy, but at the entrance exam location.

“…Professor, what brings you here?”

Having confirmed the opponent’s identity, she could not speak to him informally. Ellen immediately changed her tone to honorifics and asked. Fernan smiled faintly, taking in all members of the party with his eyes as he replied.

“I’ll tell you why I’m here later. First, let me explain the rules.”

There was no time to ask what rules. This was because Fernan drew the sword from his waist and openly revealed killing intent. An immense pressure weighed down on their shoulders, interfering with the flow of mana. Ellen and Elena’s eyes widened, and they struggled to resist Fernan’s surging energy.

In contrast, Asel stared at Fernan with a cold face. At that sight, Fernan inwardly expressed admiration and said.

“First. I won’t kill you, but I can render you incapable of combat.”

“…What are youㅡ”

“Second. You must attack me with the intent to kill. Otherwise, you will be disqualified from the exam.”

“……”

“Understood? Let’s begin.”

The moment Fernan finished speaking, he pointed the tip of his sword towards Ellen. Ellen gulped, looking at the blade from which water droplets were dripping.

Simultaneously, a streak of lightning poured down at high speed, grazing her temple.

[Pursuing Thunder]

Pa-ji-ji-ji-jik!!

Blackish-blue lightning flew, aiming precisely for Fernan’s brow. Fernan swung his sword and deflected the lightning. His gaze turned towards Asel.

“Lightning magic.”

“……”

“So you were Master Ena’s rumored disciple.”

“Has it spread that far already?”

“How could I not know when the Magic Department professors chatter about it every day?”

Fernan looked down at his hand, which was slightly trembling from receiving the lightning directly, and said.

“More than that, the magic’s power is strange. Even being wet, it’s enough to damage a Master’s body. And the fact that his mana didn’t fluctuate earlier. Did Master Ena pick up a strange monster?”

“He is a formidable monster.”

Asel smiled and struck the ground forcefully.

“I’m coming with the intent to kill.”

“You’re an interesting friend.”

Fernan swung his sword horizontally. Aura coated his blade, and a sharp sword wave was shot, targeting Asel.

[Thunderous Wall]

A wall made of lightning, formed beneath Asel’s feet, collided with the sword wave and scattered. Electric currents dispersed in all directions. Electricity mixed with the humid air. Fernan smiled at the tingling sensation, and Asel clenched his fist to burst the currents.

[Lightning Burst]

The violent lightning that was shot out resonated with the residual energy of the scattered lightning magic. Immediately after, a massive thunderous explosion engulfed the cave.

Kwaaaaaaaang!!

The cave, unable to withstand the power of the thunderclap, collapsed. Fernan pulled back, and Elena and Ellen pursued him.

The two looked at each other, then split into Fernan’s left and right, closing the distance.

[Bloodflow Sculpting]

[Blood Halberd Silk]

Elena turned the blood she drew into a thorny thread and swung it. Ellen brought her axe down vertically with great force. Fernan parried and cut through the straightforward falling attack and the flexible incoming attack one after another, then struck Ellen’s abdomen with his elbow.

“Ugh!”

Ellen’s face twisted in pain from the sharp agony rising from her solar plexus, and she was pushed back significantly. Instead of worrying about her flying back, Elena reinforced her body and kicked Fernan’s shoulder. Fernan lightly took the attack and laughed.

“My Lady. It seems His Grace the Duke did not teach you martial arts.”

He grabbed Elena’s leg and swung her roughly. Her flying body crashed straight into a tree.

“Keo-heuk!”

A rough gasp burst from Elena’s mouth. Fernan gripped his sword and swung it to finish her off first.

Whether his words about not killing were sincere, it was a simple downward slash without aura. Thanks to this, Ellen, who had run up, was able to block the attack.

Kka-deu-deuk!

The axe blade and sword blade clashed, sending sparks flying. Ellen gritted her teeth as if they would break and endured Fernan’s attack. Fernan looked down at her and wore a gentle smile.

“Even the Harrgelin family, who are naturally born with monstrous strength, cannot withstand a Master’s physical power.”

“…Eugeuk.”

“But… even if I didn’t put aura into it, blocking this is unexpected. It seems your practical experience is quite good.”

“Your compliment… Thank you…!”

“You’re welcome.”

The moment Fernan said that and was about to add more strength to the hand gripping the sword.

“……!”

Mana at a chilling level was condensed in the sky. The residual energy of destruction magic, created solely for killing and slaughter, was fully captured by his senses.

“Ha…!”

High-level magic possessing power far superior to intermediate magic. Especially a lightning-type high-level magic. He, who had been with Ena in the Demon Extermination Battle, knew its power better than anyone. If hit directly, even Fernan could not be completely unscathed.

Furthermore, the current environment was highly advantageous for lightning magic. Simply firing lightning could electrify the entire forest by traveling through the water. How much stronger would the power be if it was high-level magic?

“It’s right to avoid thisㅡ”

“No.”

The moment Fernan mumbled, Asel, who had burst out of the forest’s darkness, instantly grabbed his abdomen. Fernan saw the wings of flame attached to Asel’s back, evaporating the rainwater.

[Soaring with Red Wings]

A fire-type flying magic that boasts extremely poor mana efficiency, so much so that even Asel can only maintain flight for a short time. In addition to that, he used stealth magic, ‘Silence’ to kill sounds, and ‘Ghost’ to erase presence to approach and reach out to Fernan’s skin, muttering softly.

“You can’t avoid it.”

[Destroying Thunderclap]

Pa-ji-ji-ji-ji-jik!!

The thunderclap, created by condensing dozens of lightning bolts into one and drawing it out shortly, struck Fernan’s abdomen.

Magic that significantly increased power by combining lightning and reducing range. Even Fernan couldn’t help but frown for a moment at this lethal magic, which was capable of burning all nerve systems and turning the brain into ash with the lightning that spread from the point of impact.

‘Is this magic that destroys the Inner Core if I move my aura to block it? Troublesome.’

Fernan smiled broadly at the burning pain that started in his abdomen.

It was possible to block the magic without moving his aura. A Master’s body is not that weak. However, he had to endure a slight stiffness during the process. The destructive power and penetration unique to lightning magic could not be ignored, even by a Master.

However, instead of just taking the attack, Fernan moved his aura to erase the lightning that had penetrated his body. This was possible because he knew that no matter how much the magic attacked aura, it could not cause significant damage to him at Asel’s current level. Thanks to this, he was free from stiffness, but suffering a slight internal injury was unavoidable.

“Is it my turn now?”

Fernan asked, spitting out a minuscule amount of blood. Asel grinned and stepped back.

“Not yet.”

The moment he spoke. The mana condensed in the sky began to rotate violently. Fernan let out a hollow laugh at the vicious momentum and took a stance.

“Did you use other magic while maintaining a high-level magic formula? Is that even possible according to common sense? Your head should explode.”

“I don’t do things I can’t do.”

“Ha, geniuses.”

Fernan gave a bitter smile, and Asel swept his hand from top to bottom.

It was one of the high-level magics Ena frequently favored.

An overwhelming phenomenon that the Ancients called a divine punishment.

[Nature Resonance]

[Formula Stacking]

[Simultaneous Incantation]

A chilling blue light flashed from the sky.

[Lightning Strike]

Kwaaaaaaaang!!

A massive bolt of lightning fell as if to cleave the earth.