Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 89

Chapter 89

The Red Flower Falls (16)

As the girl turned her back and ran away, two more transformed demons suddenly charged at her.

-Kwang!

“Kaeng!”
T h i s w a s c op i e d f ro m k i n g m tl . org

I first grabbed the neck of the one closest to me and twisted it. Then I quickly caught up to the remaining one.

Just before its long snout was about to tear the girl’s head apart, I barely managed to grab its tail and pull it back. After that, I climbed up to its neck and repeatedly struck its head and eyes hard with my fists.

“Kweok!! Kweeek!!”

The beast-like creature that resembled a pig let out a few ear-splitting squeals before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

The girl briefly made eye contact with me before turning around again and hurriedly disappearing into the darkness.

Then from behind, I hear a familiar voice that I’ve heard somewhere before.

“Well, isn’t this the friend that the young lady brought?”

The butler who had greeted us yesterday and given various explanations now had a chilling smile on his face.

Every time the light from the sidelights flashed across his eyes, a red glint shone.

“I’m pretty sure I asked you to avoid going out at night. I don’t know if I should call this troublesome or…”

“…Were they demons?”

“That kind of term is quite unpleasant. There’s a proper title of ‘chosen people’, you know.”

T his w a s cop i e d f r o m kin gm t l . o r g
“Shut your mouth. What the hell are you doing here?”

“Would you understand even if I told you? How could an ignorant commoner comprehend the sacred great work?”

It was a fairly polite response on the surface, but his tone was dripping with deep-rooted hatred for humans.

Of course, I’m just as disgusted. The old memories that come with facing these beasts always torment me.

I quickly looked around, scanning the surroundings. The ones who had been disguised as workers and guards had long since dispelled their transformations and returned to their original forms. They were hissing and drooling from their mouths.

Judging by the single horn that had grown and their build, most of them appear to be 3rd rank demons. They have a primitive way of thinking closer to beasts than intelligent beings.

However, the one who had been imitating the enthusiastic new butler still maintained his human form. He was examining me with a chilling gaze.

If there’s the most troublesome opponent here, it would be him. Based on how skillfully he imitates humans and commands the 3rd rank species, he’s at least a 2nd rank or higher.

I recalled the faint beastly scent I had smelled from him yesterday. If a beast’s scent leaks out even while disguised as a human, it means he’s a considerably powerful individual. It’s because he can’t fully suppress all his energy.

It was a painful mistake not to properly realize his identity earlier, being distracted by Yeon Minha’s sweet particle scent.

“Grrrr…”

“Pururuk…”

T his w a s c opi e d fr o m kin g m t l. or g
The encirclement formed by the two-legged beasts gradually closes in from all directions.
Thi s w as c o pi ed fr om k in g m t l .or g

“That bravery is quite impressive, but do you think you can take down this whole group alone?”

T h i s w a s c o p i ed fr om k i n g mt l .or g
“…Well. It doesn’t seem impossible.”

“Puhub. There should be a limit to recklessness. How unfortunate. Soon after you die, that brat will fall back into our hands.”

The one still in human form let out a mocking laugh at me. He had long since shed his ill-fitting human courtesy.

I stalled for time by responding with another word.

Normally, taking down these kinds of guys would be no big deal. But of all times, I left my blade in the Cradle when I heard weapons couldn’t be brought into private property anyway.

T h i s wa s c op i e d f ro m ki n gm tl .o r g
Moreover, that’s not the only problem. What makes demons difficult to deal with is their versatile abilities. Their physical durability is tremendous, and those of 2nd rank or higher can even fire dark magic.

So even if I seal off their dark magic casting, I still have to face physical abilities several times superior to humans.

I can somehow handle 3rd rank demons at my current level… but the problem is that guy who was imitating the butler.

As demons rise in rank, the number of horns increases along with their power increasing exponentially. Both physically and in dark magic.

That’s why it’s recommended to face 2nd rank or higher demons only after at least three magicians form a formation, as they are such tricky opponents.

I kept trying to raise my prediction routes to 4 or more, but the pain squeezing my heart kept coming back as if I hadn’t fully recovered yet, wasting magical formulas.

I wonder if it’s possible to handle that guy too at my current level.

“Ugh…”

The beasts are gradually closing the distance. I stopped thinking and took a stance.

Why these beasts had crawled into the private property of the safest noble family in the country, what the sacred great work he babbled about was, why they kidnapped people.

All of that can be thought about after I get back alive.

The beasts’ breathing and mouth odor can be felt as the distance gradually gets closer. At some point, I mentally counted to three.

One, two.

With each count, the beasts bared their gums and were itching to pounce.

And three.

As if perfectly coordinated, the beasts’ jaws lunged at me from all directions at once.

Their sharp teeth and massive front paws were each very fatal blows, but due to their cow-like huge bodies, there were many gaps in between.

I started to slip through these gaps one by one and take them down.

T h is was c op i ed f ro m ki n gm t l . or g
I focused on striking their vital points and internal organs in the abdomen, and if that wasn’t possible, I hit their heads hard and slammed them to the ground.

They would stretch out their whole body, tremble, and then lie motionless.

If even that wasn’t possible, I gouged out their eyeballs with my fingers.

As they clung to me, howling in pain, I went behind them and twisted their necks.

“Kweok! Kweeek!”

“Keheng! Kehek!!”

The cries let out by the beasts were loud enough to disorient the senses. The floor was covered in a mixture of blood and filth, giving off an indescribable stench. The only consolation was that their numbers gradually decreased over time.

-Pueok!

“Huu… hu…”

After kicking away the corpse of the last dog-like demon, I turned my steps towards the high-ranking demon who had been observing the situation from afar.

That face that had been making a sadistic expression while imitating a human was now contorted with bewilderment.

“Huu… I told you. It didn’t seem impossible.”

T h i s w a s c op ied fr o m king m t l. o r g
“You… How dare you… to the revolutionary warriors…!”

He muttered in a voice dripping with anger as he looked at me.

“They seemed far too incompetent to be called warriors. Let’s end this quickly. You don’t look much different.”

“You son of a bitch…!”

The demon’s characteristic of getting agitated when looked down upon was no different for him either. Soon, particles from the air began to swirl into his body, creating small whirlwinds. The particles converted into demonic energy and spread throughout his body.

His size grows to nearly twice that of a 3rd rank species. His skin changes to a bronze color and his muscles swell as if about to burst. His mouth stretches out like a horse’s snout, and several twisted horns sprout along his forehead and behind his ears.

“…Ha.”

A sigh involuntarily escapes my mouth at the sight of the vicious horns that number at least five. This meant he was a 2nd rank species close to being 1st rank in strength.

T h is w a s co p i ed f r o m k i ngm t l . o r g
-Kuwowo!

The transformed beast bends its legs and immediately leaps towards where I am. As I roll to dodge, a strong shockwave spreads in all directions in that instant.

Then he spreads his palm wide and mutters something in a beast language. A sphere of ominous dark red energy gradually grows larger.

I spread the waves near my heart to the maximum just before he throws the completed sphere.

-Changgeurang!

With a sound like glass shattering, the sphere dissipates into the air. The horse-like head blinks its eyes in bewilderment, limply staring at its palm.

I allowed the transformation since it makes it easier to exploit openings as the body grows larger, but not dark magic. Without weapons or particle-resistant clothing, allowing dark magic would be nearly suicidal.

I quickly approached the lower abdomen area while he was stunned. I aimed a punch at where the internal organs were concentrated, but instead of a pained roar, I heard a sound like striking a steel ore.

-Kwang!

As the beast swung down its huge claws after regaining its senses, I distanced myself again. I could somehow manage up to 3rd rank species, but dealing with a 2nd rank species barehanded is indeed too much. If I try the same thing again, my wrist bones might break completely.

“…”

Suddenly inspired, I looked at the sparsely growing horns on its head. It seems there might be a way.

The beast that had shaken me off tries repeatedly to use dark magic again, grunting as it waves its hands. But of course that won’t work.

Finally giving up, the beast charges at me with heavy hooves pounding the ground. Despite its unfitting speed, I was barely able to avoid it by a hair’s breadth.

-Kagagak…!

The metallic sound of claws barely grazing my mask makes my vision dizzy for a moment. I shook my head, trying to shake off the sudden anxiety that came over me.

The monster charges again, trying to grab me with its massive arms. This time too, I dodge it by a very fine margin, then use its arm as a foothold to jump onto the back of its neck.

“Kuok!!”

The huge body thrashes about in a frenzy. It swings its knife-like sharp claws trying to snatch me.

-Chwak!

“Ugh…!”

I tried my best to avoid it, but the space was too narrow to dodge all attacks. In the end, several claws leave gashes on my body. The stinging pain as the venom from the claws seeps in snaps me back to alertness.

I firmly support myself on its nape with one hand, then reach out and grab one of its pointed horns.

Then I apply force sideways with all my might, and with a snap sound, the horn is torn off.

“Kuok!! Kuok!! Kueoook!!”

As the beast thrashes about in pain, I can no longer hold on and fall to the ground, rolling. I could see red demonic energy escaping from its body through the place where the horn was broken off.

“Puruk! Pururuk!”

The horse-headed monster that has barely endured the pain glares at me with eyes flickering with red killing intent. Its horizontally slit pupils are filled with indescribable rage.

Horns are practically their pride. Having it damaged, it would be difficult to maintain rationality. The beast charging at me mindlessly is what I want.

“Kuweok!”

The beast’s muscles contract like springs, then it leaps towards me with a roar. As I roll to the side to dodge, it smashes its head straight into the concrete wall.

-Kwaang!!

The wall surrounding what looks like a warehouse collapses, burying the beast’s body. I jump onto the beast’s back before it can clear away the debris and get up.

Then I stab the horn hard near where the gland is above the heart and grind it down with my foot.

“Kuok! Kuweeeok…”

The monster’s body that had been writhing in pain stops moving after a few seconds.

“Huu… huk…”

Only then do I let out the breath I had been holding. The wounds from the venom sting, but it’s still too early to rest.

I immediately approached the windowless building where they had been carrying sacks containing people. As I turn the heavy iron door open, a stench of blood and rot wafts out.

What on earth were they doing in here to mutter such grandiose words about a great work?

I moved down the stairs following the door. The foul smell in the surroundings intensifies to a headache-inducing level. I could also hear the sound of water dripping from somewhere.

And soon, shocking scenery began to enter my eyes as they adjusted to the darkness.

One side of the basement wall was filled with a huge mechanical device making a humming sound. The translucent internal storage was full of dark red liquid sloshing about.

Just from seeing the corpses strewn about horribly enough to block the sewers, I could immediately tell the identity of the liquid.

Blood drips onto the floor drop by drop along the long hose of the mechanical device. There, a huge circular magic formula was drawn covering the entire floor. Every time blood drops, the dark red lines flicker and gradually increase in brightness.

Unlike modern magic formulas composed of concise points and lines, complex curved ritualistic patterns were engraved here and there.

Though I have no particular expertise in magic formulas, I could immediately guess the identity of this one. It’s a plague magic formula that spreads clouds of dense poison in all directions.

Large-scale dark magic that lowers the physical vitality of those who are not dark magic users and makes them sick.

It takes a long time to create in proportion to its scale, but its effects are certain, so it is often attempted as a form of terrorism in places where surveillance is lax.

The strange points didn’t end there. Though already huge on its own, long lines extended outwards following the outer patterns of the magic formula, stretching outside the building.

I easily recalled the place where the lines led. It’s in the direction of Jeokhwa’s other facilities.

If the same magic formulas are installed there as well and all connected… then one enormous magic formula I’ve never seen before is laid out across this entire property.

This place is not far from the city center and also quite high ground topographically.

If the magic activates, it would be more than enough to cover the city center.

Of course, countless people would die.

My heated mind starts spinning rapidly.

Clearly, only demons disguised as servants and workers were at the scene, but it’s absolutely impossible for them to use a noble family’s private property like their own home without someone’s tacit approval.

And there is only one person in Jeokhwa who can turn a blind eye and approve their activities.

The head of Jeokhwa. Yeon Minha’s father.

“Oh no…!”

I immediately hurried out of the warehouse.

This place has long since become a den of evil.

Before that, I don’t know what kind of person her father was, but at the very least, he is no longer the person Yeon Minha used to know.

Urgency rises as I think about getting out as quickly as possible.

As I come outside, something plops onto my chest again. It’s Yeon Minha’s personal crow that had brought her note earlier.

I wondered what this little one was still doing here, but its continuous mournful cries from its beak caught my attention.

Unlike its ordinary appearance, the crow is a 1st grade magical beast. Not only does it have the intelligence to understand human speech, but its developed field makes it impossible to hunt even with firearms.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i ng m t l . o rg
Due to its utility, it’s a creature closer to a spirit beast than a magical beast.

There must be a reason for such a creature to show this kind of attitude.

“…Can you guide me to your master?”

-Kak!

As if it had been waiting for those words, the crow slowly started flapping its wings, beginning to guide me into the darkness.

Clutching my heart full of anxiety, I followed the small bird, turning my back on the corpses of magical beasts and the suspicious basement.

End of Chapter