Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Dream’s Boundary (17)

With veins bulging red on his forehead, the enraged man charged straight at Lee Hyun.
T h is wa s c o p ie d f r o m k i n gmt l .o r g

Lee Hyun stepped forward to meet him, their blades clashing. The impact caused the dark magic contained in the blades to scatter like sparks in the air.

“Filthy mages! You pigs who oppress and discriminate against the common folk! Today, I’ll take your head…!”

The man spat out his accusations, but Lee Hyun didn’t listen to a single word. He only wondered if there was a script somewhere, as the man’s words were identical to those spewed by similar enemies in the northeast.

Lee Hyun parried the man’s attack, gauging his skills. Despite all the bluster, the man wasn’t particularly skilled. After just one exchange, Lee Hyun could tell he was nothing special.

Probably just a barely-human remnant of a mutant.

Lee Hyun exerted force and deflected the man’s blade. He then infused his blade with particles, thrusting it into the man’s abdomen and slicing upward.

“Ugh…!”

The dark mage’s upper body split in two, collapsing on the wall with a splattering sound.

Lee Hyun turned to check on Yeon Minha. She had deployed a protective barrier spell and was scanning the surroundings but shuddered slightly at the sight of the dark mage’s gruesome remains.

“Ugh…”

“Senior. Are you alright?”

She quickly composed herself and gave a slight nod.

“…Yes.”

“We need to move. Stay close behind me.”

Yeon Minha nodded, and the two of them crouched low, retracing their steps down the wall’s staircase.

-Screech…!

-Boom! Bang!

-Thud! Thump…!

Screams and explosions echoed loudly from the city. The blood-red fog obscuring their vision intensified the fear of the unknown.

“Th-that… what is a red…?”

Yeon Minha shook her head, trying to dispel her fear by changing the subject and asking in a small voice.

“It’s just a term for calling dark mages. Their magic is red, after all.”

Th i s wa s c o p ie d fro m ki ng mtl . or g
It was a term Sa Jaehyuk used so often it had stuck.

-Thump!

-Rustle…

The vibrations grew closer, dust falling through the cracks in the wall.

“That dark mage earlier… what he said about oppression…”

“Don’t pay attention to such nonsense. I’ve seen countless guys like him. They’d blame others even if they tripped over a rock themselves.”

“But still…”

“It’s just filthy self-justification. Look at what they’ve done while spouting those words.”

Lee Hyun responded immediately. He despised such people the most.

-Thump!

-Tatatata…!

“Support… where’s the support…! Urgh!”

“Save me… Ahhh…!”

The city, once filled with bustling life and the smell of freshly baked bread, had turned into the depths of hell in an instant.

Red-eyed attackers ambushed them as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Lee Hyun decapitated one, while Yeon Minha incinerated another with flickering flames.

They moved along the wall toward their lodging area.

-Rustle…

-Growl…
T h i s w a s c o pi e d fr o m k i n g m t l . o r g

-Thump!

It wasn’t just explosions and screams they heard. Growls, the clashing of giant fangs, and the rustling of wings mixed into the fog from all around.

Sounds no human could produce seeped through the mist.

“Help… save me…!”

A cry for help was suddenly cut off as someone disappeared into the ground. An opened manhole or sewer entrance was left behind. Similar incidents happened repeatedly as they retraced their steps.

“Ugh…”

T h i s w as c o p i ed f ro m k i n g m tl . o r g
Yeon Minha frowned, looking to the side. It was the spot where she had bought a red bean bun earlier. Now, it was just a pile of shattered debris and flowing blood.

-Growl…

A massive figure lunged at them from the fog. The red glowing eyes of the beast indicated it was controlled by a dark mage’s magic.

Lee Hyun sidestepped its huge paw and drove his blade into its heart.

The beast, covered in fur and sporting grotesquely developed fangs, collapsed with a thud before them.

-Thump!

“Senior. What about detection?”

“…It’s not extending. The spirits’ sight is completely blocked.”

“What about the crows?”

“I’ve been calling them, but… no response.”

After slaying the beast, Lee Hyun asked, but Yeon Minha shook her head.

They came across a lifeless body sprawled on the ground.

It was a familiar face. The governor Yeon Minha had greeted warmly just yesterday.

He lay there with several attendants in a grotesque state. His back was covered in marks from dark magic, indicating they had been ambushed from behind. It seemed they tried to flee the governor’s residence and met their end in the chaos.

“This person…”

Recognizing the governor, Yeon Minha bit her lip. Her face turned ghostly pale. The governor’s death signaled that the situation was spiraling out of control.

Lee Hyun moved among the bodies, searching swiftly. He stripped the anti-particle suit gloves off a woman of similar build to Yeon Minha and handed them to her.

“Put these on.”

“How can you… these are from a corpse…”

“That doesn’t matter. Even a suit from a corpse is better than just a dress.”

“…Aren’t you scared? We could die if things go wrong…”

“I’ve already survived a near-death experience. I no longer fear death. Not doing what needs to be done scares me more.”

“…”

It sounded like he was saying there was something he had to do, even if it meant dying. Perhaps he carried regrets from failing in the past. Yeon Minha almost asked what he felt he had to do now but decided against it.

However, the calm resolve in his voice gave her a strange sense of trust. She put on the anti-particle suit over her dress and prepared to move again.

They fought off more beasts and dark mage remnants as they finally reached their lodging area.

Several bodies, both guards and others, littered the vicinity, indicating battles had occurred nearby.

The students at the barricaded entrance nearly fired their spells but sighed in relief upon seeing Yeon Minha.

“What about the others?”

“This is all of us.”

T h i s w as c op i e d fr o m king mt l .o r g
Seeing the surroundings, Yeon Minha asked, and a second-year girl answered hesitantly. About 30% of the students on this mission were missing. Those present were mostly injured, with arms and legs in splints and blood streaming from their heads.

Yeon Minha’s face darkened. The news of the governor’s death turned the other students’ faces pale.
T h i s wa s c o p i e d fro m ki n g mt l. o r g

Manager Chun of Ho Seohanong, who had been guiding them, approached Yeon Minha and sighed in relief. His clothes were torn, and his glasses were stained with dried blood, indicating he had been in a fierce battle.

“Miss…! Thank goodness. I thought something had happened to you. Are you hurt…?”

Th i s was co pi e d f r om k i ng m t l .o rg
“I’m fine. What’s the current situation?”

“…I’m sorry. We’re still trying to figure it out. We don’t know what this is…”

The man responded with a flustered expression.

“We shouldn’t stay here. This area is not good for defense. I’ve arranged a safe house; we should move there…”

Following his guidance, the students dismantled the barricade and prepared to move. But Lee Hyun’s instincts kept screaming danger. He was filled with suspicion. This was clearly a meticulously planned ambush meant to catch them off guard.
Th i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m ki ng mt l. o r g

The governor, ambushed and killed from behind.

The weather magic towers spewing blood-red mist instead of rain.

The traces of beasts moving through the sewers and open manholes.

All these clues suggested there were collaborators among the enemy.

Yeon Minha mentioned that the company’s soldiers managing the irrigation channels and sewers were also responsible for this mission.

The original mission supervisor had been replaced due to a sudden accident.

Yeon Minha was too preoccupied to notice, but all the dangers so far were linked to this seemingly good-natured man with glasses.

“…”
T h is w as c o p i e d f r o m k in g m t l .o r g

Lee Hyun glanced at Manager Chun. After a moment’s thought, he made a decision.

In such urgent situations, certain things must be confirmed.

He approached Manager Chun, who was directing the students.

T his w as c op i e d f r o m k i n gm t l . o r g
“Alright, everyone, let’s move… Yu Jinhyun? What is it…”

“Could you wash my blade with ‘Lively Water Drops’? The others seem too exhausted.”

“Excuse me?”

“Please. The blade feels dull from the fat.”

“Haha, just a moment. But…”

It would have been less suspicious if he had claimed particle exhaustion. But his attempt to smoothly deflect the request deepened Lee Hyun’s suspicions. Seeing the particle array device on his right wrist confirmed he was a mage.

‘Lively Water Drops’ is a basic and versatile spell requiring minimal particles, easy for even untalented mages to use. There was no reason to refuse such a request unless he couldn’t use magic.

Lee Hyun decided it was better to apologize later than to risk unknown dangers.

He swiftly drew his blade and aimed at Manager Chun’s right shoulder, where the particle array device was. It wouldn’t be fatal but would prevent him from using magic if the vein was damaged.

-Boom!

“Ah!”

“What are you…!”

Chaos erupted as the unexpected attack caused an uproar. Dust flew, and the shockwave damaged nearby objects. Lee Hyun gritted his teeth. The sound wasn’t right for a blade hitting a person’s shoulder.

“…Ha.”

A cold, mocking voice came from beyond his blade. As the dust settled, he saw the blade embedded in a barrier, crackling with red energy.

The man with the friendly smile was gone.

In his place stood a dark mage with burning eyes, looking at Lee Hyun like prey.

“Ha, sharp kid. How did you know?”

End of Chapter