Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 154

Chapter 154

Magic Survival (6)

Thud, boom…

The explosions nearby made me briefly lift my head. Hidden behind a pile of ruins and covered by the artifact ‘Invisibility Robe,’ I shouldn’t be detected, but I felt a bit uneasy.

“Phew.”

Fortunately, it seemed they were fighting each other and hadn’t noticed this place.

T h is w a s c o p ie d fr om k i n g m t l . o r g
[27/100]

The number of remaining participants had dwindled to around thirty.

As the competition entered the latter half and the field shrank, I still hadn’t encountered the main villain of this episode.

“Is this strategy completely bogus?”

I had heard that if I caused a commotion, Berankal would come find me.

[17 KILL]

My kill count had surpassed seventeen. While my combat skills played a part, it was my overwhelming ability to handle artifacts that made it possible.

I had spent ten years enjoying various content like tournaments and battle royales, and to win with the ‘Character Baek Yu-seol,’ who had no ranged attacks and was fragile, I had to master various strategies and artifact usage.

That experience was quite useful here, and I managed to survive among elite competitors by adhering to the ‘Warlord Meta.’

‘Phew, I really thought I’d die against those Jeremie faction guys.’

Even with my skills, I’d die if three people ganged up on me. It was a stroke of incredible luck that a natural disaster occurred, allowing me to survive.

By crafting a robe from special materials processed and synthesized, I could move despite the natural disaster of lightning. Using this advantage, I managed to take down all three of them one by one.

They were all second-year students, so it was a close call, but… I won, and that’s what mattered.
Th i s wa s c o p i e d f r o m k in gmtl. o r g

‘Berankal hasn’t been eliminated yet, so where is he?’

The reason I was playing the Warlord Meta was to draw Berankal’s attention to me before any more victims fell.

But the fact that he still hadn’t appeared meant there might already be more victims, and that worried me.
T h i s was c o p i ed fro m k i ngm t l . o r g

Victims are inevitable.

I know that.

Yet… not being able to prevent potentially preventable harm is a bitter pill to swallow.

‘Phew…’
T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i n g mt l. o r g

My Life Points had risen above half. Though I had plenty of potions left from defeating other players, my spirit was quite exhausted from continuous battles.

‘If only I knew Berankal’s location…’

At that moment.

– Ah, ah, can you hear me?

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a voice echoed in my head.

– Sounds like you can hear me. Baek Yu-seol, it’s the principal. It seems the competition is progressing well.

“Principal…”

I was a bit taken aback, not expecting an external message.

– Yes. Contacting externally like this is strictly taboo, but… given the situation, I have no choice. Baek Yu-seol, there’s a serious problem in the competition.

Hearing that, I immediately sensed it.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f rom k i n g m t l . o r g
Though I didn’t know how, Eltemon Eltrine had realized that a Dark Mage had infiltrated the Magic Survival.

– As the principal of Stella, it’s shameful, but… a rat has entered the Magic Survival.

It sounded as if I could hear the grinding of teeth. Though it was a telepathic conversation, it almost seemed real.

– So… I’d like to ask for your help.

“What kind of help?”

T h is w a s co p i e d f r om ki n g m t l . o r g
– I’ll tell you the Dark Mage’s location. Can you find and deal with him?

I never expected to receive help like this. I nodded without hesitation.

“If you tell me, I’ll go immediately.”
Th i s wa s c o p i ed fr o m k i n g m t l .o r g

– No need. Thanks to one of our students buying some time, the enemy is currently outside the competition area. He seems to be trying to re-enter quickly…

Someone bought time?

There weren’t many Stella participants, so I quickly guessed who had done it.

‘Dokcheolgwang.’

He was one of my favorite characters from when I played the game.

As expected, he wouldn’t have ignored a Dark Mage.

– Here’s the location.

A map appeared before my eyes, showing Berankal’s position. He was still outside the competition area but was rapidly approaching.

Outside the barrier, Life Points would deplete at an enormous rate, indicating he had a substantial supply of potions.

Then I noticed something on the map. It showed the positions of other survivors, and directly in Berankal’s path was ‘Zeliel.’

“I need to go there myself.”

Zeliel was a villainess.

Even more wicked than Hong Bi-yeon.

She had committed countless wrongs and would commit countless more in the future, but…

I couldn’t let her die here.

Fear of distorting the future?

That was part of it, but I saw potential for change in her.

If she could repent and use her intelligence, wealth, and magical talent to help the world…

She could be as significant as the three main heroines.

And most importantly, I didn’t want anyone I knew to die.

-…Please. It’s shameful to ask this of a student, but…

“It’s fine. This is what Magic Warriors must do.”

I didn’t carry the sense of duty of a Magic Warrior, but I was doing something good, so why not dress it up with noble words?

Once decided, I acted immediately.

Gripping the Level 3 ‘Large Iron Club’ I found in the supply kit, I stood up.

“I’m going right now.”

* * *

Whoosh…

Rain poured down. The Magic Survival field often changed weather aside from natural disasters, and heavy rain nearly silenced the surroundings, making it hard to notice approaching enemies.

Zeliel hid under the crumbling roof of the ruins, staring blankly.

[3 KILL!]

She had taken down three enemies on her way here. Though she wasn’t particularly interested in the competition or eager to win, she moved simply because she was participating.

And…

If she won, it might be a great pride to her father.

‘But what’s the point.’

She hadn’t seen her father for three years.

The more she thought about it, the less she understood. The magical oath was absolute. Few mages signed such contracts lightly.

In other words, through this oath… Baek Yu-seol could have gained much under better conditions.

The daughter of the Starcloud Trading Company’s head, blessed by the World Tree as a High Elf, was valuable in many ways.

She could ask for land, mines, noble titles, or even a meeting with the High Elf elders.

Though she had no sense of aesthetics, she knew through public opinion that she was considered very beautiful.

Quick-witted Zeliel understood how men viewed her. A normal person might have included such conditions, but…

Baek Yu-seol wanted nothing.

Only a clause to change Zeliel’s heart.

Why?

She had pondered all night but found no answer.

‘Does Baek Yu-seol gain anything if I hate my father?’

Initially, she thought from that perspective. Being very intelligent, she considered various ways Baek Yu-seol might gain socially or commercially but…

There was nothing.

Baek Yu-seol gained nothing from her hating her father. If anything, it would be a loss.

“Sigh…”

She used to think she didn’t understand why humans sighed, but now she did it herself.

[The competition area is shrinking.]

It was time to move. She picked up her staff and belongings.

To win, it was wise to position oneself in the center early.

The problem was everyone thought so.

Unfortunately, she had fallen to the outskirts and had insufficient time to secure the center.

So, she planned to roam the edge and then break into the center at once.

Frequent skirmishes on the outskirts would draw attention and risk defeat.

In heavy rain, visibility dropped, making it hard to move. Zeliel cautiously left the ruins and climbed a hill.

[Weather: Heavy Rain]

[Time: 21:43]

Day and night changed rapidly within the stage, and the sky grew dark in the latter half of the competition. Even in the near pitch-darkness, Zeliel, with her High Elf vision and agility, swiftly navigated the hill and trees.

Then.

Rumble… flash!

The sky flashed white, and lightning struck.

“Ugh…!”

An ancient thousand-year-old tree at the hilltop caught fire. Despite the heavy rain, the fire didn’t seem to extinguish, and Zeliel realized this was an ‘event’ she’d only heard about.

Experiencing special events within the stage could yield artifacts otherwise unobtainable.

“…Lucky.”

Other participants might have noticed this, but Zeliel was closest and could quickly grab the artifact and escape.
T his wa s co p i e d f r o m k i n gm tl . o r g

Approaching the blazing ancient tree, something staff-like dropped.

[Lv.4 Lightning-Struck Ancient Tree Staff]

It was a top-tier artifact obtainable within the stage. Thinking she was one step closer to victory, Zeliel grabbed it, but at that moment, she sensed a presence behind her and quickly turned, aiming the newly acquired staff.

“Did you think you could sneak up on me without me noticing?”

Trying to deceive an elf’s ears. How laughable.

Th is w as c o p i ed f ro m k i n g m t l . o r g
The opponent wore a tattered robe, likely from numerous battles. Their defense points seemed quite low.

‘Easy to beat.’
Th i s wa s c o p ie d fr o m k i n gm t l. o rg

In Magic Survival, battles could be determined by artifacts and equipment as much as individual skill, so Zeliel was confident of victory.

Suddenly.

The mysterious opponent tore off the robe.

“Huh…?”

For a moment, Zeliel didn’t understand the situation.

A small horn. Crimson-black sclera. Sharp canines.

That was unmistakably a Dark Mage.

‘Is this… an event…?’

No.

There were no events involving Dark Mages. The competition’s purpose was purely for mages to compete for survival, so why would there be a Dark Mage event?

Moreover, the opponent wore the system-assist bracelet only participants could use.

The opponent was a participant.

But.

A Dark Mage.

Zeliel’s mind couldn’t easily comprehend that connection.

“Who are you…?”

She cautiously asked, but he only grinned, baring his canines, and ignited crimson-black flames in his hands.

‘Ah…’

The palpable dark mana.

She realized.

This was a ‘real Dark Mage.’

That meant, if hit by that magic…

She could really die.

‘I have to run.’

It took only three seconds to decide.

But by the time she decided, the Dark Mage had already launched the ominous black flames at her.

…Whoosh!!

End of Chapter