episode_0088

Episode 88: The Succession of Events (3)

Crack!

As the head bursts, blood and brain fluid splatter. I had set up a barrier with mana beforehand, so my shoes weren’t dirtied.

Rustle-

As the magic caster died, the summoned creature turned to dust and disappeared. And the female student who had been held by the skeleton fell to the ground.

“Eek!”

She let out a cute scream. She didn’t look like the person who had been crying her eyes out until just now. Still, she seemed out of it, probably because of the lingering fear, so I held out my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, uh…?”

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, I’m okay… I think….”

With those words, she grabbed my hand. She seemed to have regained her composure somewhat at the sound of my voice. After assessing the situation, the female student said with a slightly hesitant air.

“Um, did you… come to save me…?”

“That’s right.”

“Um, thank you for saving me….”

“It’s nothing much.”

It was an extra’s expression of gratitude – I didn’t know her name or department, and the only thing I knew was that she was also a sophomore – but it didn’t feel bad.

“Is this the only prison with people in it around here?”

“I don’t know… I’ve been locked up the whole time. Sorry….”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

There were only small bars on the iron door, so it’s understandable that she wouldn’t know the surrounding situation. Judging by her condition, she was probably terrified the entire time.

I stood in front of the door to save the student imprisoned in the cell.

“Ah, I’ll get the key. That black magician must have it….”

“Don’t need it.”

I answered briefly and swung my sword twice. Even without mana, the thick iron door split into three pieces.

“You don’t need it….”

I left her to be surprised by the easily divided iron door and examined the inside of the prison.

Cursed magic was swirling inside, and there were about 14 students who had given up on life and were waiting for death. Among them were a few whose minds had been destroyed.

I strode inside.

“You can’t go inside! The curse…!”

“It’s okay.”

Again, I answered briefly and unleashed Arden’s swordsmanship.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 2, Variation – Magic Cleaving

With a single downward slash, all the magic floating in the room disappears. I knew a few swordsmanship techniques to eliminate magic, but Arden’s technique was among the top ten.

“My body feels lighter…. Huh?”

“The, the curse is gone! It’s not just me, right? Everyone, check!”

“The curse really is…! But who is that….”

The students regained their senses as their physical condition improved. Only then did they belatedly discover me. I said to them.

“I’ve come to save you.”

Those words brought tears to the students’ eyes. Soon, perhaps because they realized they were alive, they burst into tears.

“Hnghng…!”

“We’re alive! We’re alive!”

The students hugged each other and cried. I didn’t want to disturb the atmosphere, but there was no need to waste time. They could do it outside.

“Stop and get ready to leave. The black magician will soon notice the anomaly and come.”

I took out a sculpture from my pocket and placed it on the floor.

“Ca-Can we get out?”

“Finally, out of this hell…!”

“Wait! That sculpture is….”

Some of them, who remembered how they got here, were startled as soon as they saw the sculpture.

“There’s nothing to worry about, so infuse it with mana.”

“But….”

“Then stay here.”

I left the hesitant third-year student and passed the opportunity to another student.

“Do I just need to put in mana…?”

“Yes.”

The first-year student, who had been looking around hesitantly, soon poured mana into the sculpture. Then, the sculpture’s teleportation magic was activated, and the first-year student disappeared. They had been transported to the surface.

Originally, the sculpture’s magic could only move in one direction, but Senior Ruina rearranged the magic to allow movement in both directions.

Of course, it wasn’t that I couldn’t do it myself, but I was short on time, so I entrusted it to my senior. That was faster.

And seeing the student who had disappeared, the remaining people rushed out, competing with each other. The third-year student who had hesitated earlier also lined up.

“Where does this go?”

“It goes to Trianis. There will be no one there, so go find a professor. There must be chaos.”

“Yes….”

With those words, they put in mana and were immediately teleported.

“But… what about them?”

The female student I had rescued first asked. At the end of her finger were three students who had become idiots.

“There’s a way.”

I approached the three of them, wrapped my hands in mana, and grabbed their heads.

At first glance, they seemed to have broken minds, but that wasn’t the case at all. Demons with bizarre tastes cherish human screams as delicacies. So, the black magicians would never turn sacrifices into cripples.

Right now, their minds were sealed by black magic. If I just eliminated the magic, they would return to their original state.

I drew in the mana I was holding in my mind. Black mana followed and was absorbed into my hand. Then, the pupils of the three regained focus.

“Wh-Where am I….”

“Ugh, my head….”

“I definitely….”

“Hear the story outside.”

I forcibly moved the mana of the three. The sculpture reacted to it and teleported the three. In that way, most of the people went outside.

“You should go now too.”

“Uh, yeah, I have to go….”

She hesitated as if she was about to touch the sculpture, and then said to me.

“Do you… remember me?”

“No idea. Don’t remember.”

“I see….”

I might remember extras who appear briefly. I don’t remember anyone else.

“I, I stood as a witness during that trial….”

“So what? Should I apologize?”

“Ah. No, that’s not what I meant….”

She quickly waved her hands and continued.

“You’re not going together, are you…?”

“I don’t know if there are any people left.”

“Oh, so… work hard. Good luck, Kyle….”

With those words, the female student activated the magic and escaped the prison. I watched her disappear and thought.

“We must have had a connection.”

And a bad one at that. Judging by her reaction, it wasn’t a bad one.

“Then now….”

I brought my hand to my ear and activated the communication device.

“Ahem, can you hear me?”

-I hear you, Kyle.

-Loud and clear.

-Bro, it’s too dark here, though?

The communication status was good. I conveyed the information I had just obtained.

“There must be a prison on your side as well. There don’t seem to be any guards, and they occasionally come to pick up students. So, keep a close eye on the situation and kill the black magicians or rescue the students. Your skills should be enough.”

Only I, who knows the settings, knows that there are no people here who are skilled enough to kill the protagonist and supporting characters. There are only a lot of them.

“And there will be students whose minds have collapsed in the prison. You can solve it with your respective abilities.”

Lana has summoned creatures, and Bale has Arden’s swordsmanship. Evan also has magic, so it’s not impossible.

“I’ll go deeper first, so don’t overdo it.”

-Okay. I’ll move on now.

-See you in a bit, bro.

After that, the two of them hung up. And Lana said.

-Kyle. Don’t get hurt, okay? Got it?

“You’re the one who shouldn’t get hurt. Your nose must hurt too.”

This place, swarming with black magicians, is like hell for Lana. I can clearly imagine what kind of expression she has on her face right now.

-Okay. I’ll try not to get hurt. Then, see you later.

“Okay.”

Lana’s communication was also cut off. I picked up the sculpture, buried the corpse in the ground, and picked up my sword again.

“Shall I go take care of the rest of the trash?”

Not all black magicians are evil, but at least the black magicians of the ‘Akacheonma’ were definitely evil that threatened the world.

“Is it over there?”

The ominous energy felt at the end of the passage. I exuded the black magic I had just absorbed and moved my steps.

***

“Why isn’t the next sacrifice arriving!”

The black magician, who was conducting the ritual at the altar, shouted.

“They’ll be arriving soon.”

“It’s been over 10 minutes! Time is important for this ritual!”

Among the demons, there were some with picky personalities. If the order of the ritual or the specific sacrifices were not prepared, they wouldn’t even show interest. The demon they were summoning this time was like that.

The sacrifices had to be 15-19 years old, and their blood and flesh had to be offered at certain intervals. That time was about 20 minutes. In other words, all their efforts could soon be in vain.

Moreover, by now, the professors of Trianis would have noticed the changes in the academy. So, they had to finish summoning the demon quickly and leave.

“Hurry, hurry and check!”

At his roar, a black magician disappeared towards the prison. And less than a minute later.

“D-Dezian-nim!”

The black magician who had just left returned with an urgent voice. He interpreted that as meaning the sacrifice had arrived, and he shouted loudly.

“Hurry! This ritual must succeed!”

“Th-That’s not… Keueok!”

At that moment, a blade popped out above his neck. It was a black blade, as black as the black magician’s mana. Dezian immediately realized that someone had invaded the altar.

“Who is it!”

Squelch-!

The opponent pulled out the sword without a word. Blood spurted from the pierced hole.

“Kill him!”

Dezian immediately ordered. It was clear from that act that they were hostile. The magic cast by his subordinates attacked the opponent.

Kaboom!!!

Dozens of spells were concentrated in one place, and a huge explosion occurred, with fire and smoke rising.

Dezian judged that even a master wouldn’t have any bones left with that firepower, and he ordered his subordinate.

“Quickly clean up and bring the sacrifice!”

“Yes!”

Time was running out. The black magicians moved quickly.

First, clean up the messed up passage….

Swish-

The sound of flesh being torn reverberated in the joint where the altar was installed. That gruesome noise didn’t end with just that one.

“Th-There’s someone!”

“Argh!”

One after another, the subordinates groaned and fell. The sound of bones breaking with a crack was also heard, and blood and flesh flew through the air each time the sword moved.

Soon, the altar was entirely stained with the blood of the black magicians. That was what had happened in just 2 minutes, and almost all the black magicians had died.

However, Dezian didn’t panic and just watched the scene silently. Then he spotted a figure in the darkness. He immediately drew up mana and cast black magic.

Curse Field.

Darkness swirled from the ground. Filled with murderous intent and malice, it cursed the creatures in the area. At the same time, the darkness that had absorbed the corpses and blood doubled the effect of the magic.

“Show yourself!”

With his roar, the enemy’s form appeared. The owner of a ferocious impression, with blonde hair and gold eyes. Dezian knew who the opponent was.

“I thought it would be a professor from Trianis, but I didn’t expect the executioner of Arden to come. Unexpected. I’ve been hearing rumors lately that the executioner has changed….”

The executioner had no reply. Dezian mocked at that sight.

“You can’t speak, can you. Because there are over 20 curses wrapped around your body.”

With dozens of curses dwelling in him, it would surely be painful even if only the wind brushed past him. He wouldn’t even have the strength to open his mouth.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t answer. No matter what anyone says, you’ll have to pay the price for interfering with the ritual.”

Dezian led the executioner, whom he had completely subdued, to the altar. Mana moved according to his will, and he muttered quietly.

“Arden’s blood will be pleasing. It’s the blood of a family that has been tormenting demons since the past.”

Even if he’s an executioner, he’s still an Arden. Time was slightly delayed, but this would make the summoning successful.

And just as he was about to put the executioner on the stone, which was painted with formulas and magic circles, on the altar.

“But what can you do. Looks like I won’t be able to summon a demon.”

A voice that shouldn’t have been heard was heard. Dezian hurriedly turned his head. The executioner, who had been tightly bound by the darkness, had already come down to the ground, and after absorbing the curses into his mouth through his breath, he was handling the power of the curses as if it had been his all along.

“Th-That can’t be….”

Dezian took a step back, filled with fear that enveloped his whole body.

It wasn’t that impossible to use other people’s magic as if it were your own. Understanding of magic, matching the mana waves, and the power to handle them. If that was enough, you could take away their power and use it as much as you wanted.

But that was only possible if it was magic of the same system. An ordinary magician can never handle black magic. Not even a 7-circle archmage.

In other words, this means.

“You learned black magic…!”

But Dezian couldn’t finish his words. A sword that had been transformed into a sword aura and had become as huge as a greatsword was already approaching him.

Crack!!

A huge mass crushed Dezian, and he died on the spot.

“Idiot.”

***

“Idiot.”

He’s a magician, so he’s lost in thought even in that situation.

“Well, even black magicians have a desire to explore.”

Magicians and black magicians started similarly at the root. It’s just that the branches diverged in opposite directions.

“Hmm….”

I looked around the altar, where the situation had been cleaned up. Thanks to the black magician who had just died, there was only one corpse. There was nothing to clean up separately.

“Is that the only thing I can take from here….”

Above the stone used to offer sacrifices. There is a bloodstone containing the blood of the students. But I don’t like it because it’s stained with the blood of students.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue, crushed the bloodstone, and prayed for the souls of the dead students. It was definitely a good material, but there was no reason to use the things of those who had been sacrificed.

“Then is everything cleaned up?”

Judging that there was no need to stay here any longer, I took out the sculpture and tried to return to the academy.

But then.

-Is that you. The one who interfered with my summoning.

A grave voice filled the inside of the altar.