Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Unreality (5)

Despite the appearance of monsters she could not defeat, Flame’s daily routine did not change. Instead, she worked tirelessly in her own way.

Since she couldn’t make her magic stronger, she learned how to combine different spells and assembled a scientific team to analyze the patterns and appearances of the monsters to identify their weaknesses.

She no longer thought about her normal life. This was her new normal: ceaselessly hunting and killing the monsters that began to emerge, protecting the world.

“…Flame?”

“Ah.”

“You seemed to doze off for a moment. We’ve arrived. Shall we proceed with the operation?”

“Yes. Let’s go right away.”

Traveling around the world, Flame relentlessly hunted monsters. She achieved some success. With the help of science, she could defeat monsters that were difficult to handle, and she became able to hunt more efficiently and quickly.

She also didn’t forget to provide some of her magic research to scientific institutions to aid in their studies. She would reveal as much magic as necessary for the advancement of the world.

However, the study of magic made no progress. Even the world’s top scientists, wearing their glasses and diving into research, couldn’t understand it at all.

It was as if the world was saying that magic was solely the domain of Flame.

The more this was the case, the harder she worked.

She reduced her sleeping hours, fighting and fighting again.

And so… a year passed.

-Two days ago, a monster appeared in Vilnius, Lithuania.

-Herds of monstrous bulls occupying the Tibetan Plateau are destroying the ecosystem…

-The monster that appeared in Colca Valley, Peru, manipulates the climate, causing abnormal temperatures worldwide…

-The monster in Moscow, Russia, is spewing lava. The urban area is already devastated…

No matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she pushed herself to the limit,

some things just couldn’t be done.

The idea of a single person protecting the entire world might work only in movies.

When she realized that her efforts were futile, a boundless sense of emptiness engulfed her.

“Flame? Are you alright?”

“…Yes. Where are we heading next?”

“Please decide. Currently, monsters have appeared in fifteen locations.”

It became routine for monsters to simultaneously appear in double digits. She only had one body and could save only one place at a time.

The other places would be abandoned based on her decision.

So, she had to choose as efficiently as possible.

She had to decide which places could be bombarded with missiles to kill the monsters, even if it meant destroying the city, and which places couldn’t.

She was getting increasingly exhausted.

Why did those words come to mind?

‘You must choose to die.’

She quickly shook her head.

‘No, that can’t be.’

She didn’t want to give up this life.

She was still happy.

Being the center of everyone’s expectations and saving the world was her duty.

If she kept trying, she believed she could surely bring peace to this world.

…Baek Yu-seol came to visit that night.

* * *

If one were to name the trendiest city in the world, it would undoubtedly be New York.

A city where people from all over the world gather, where past and present cultures coexist, always bustling with tourists, and where vibrant neon signs shine 24/7.

But today’s New York was dead.

Because of the monster alert.

Thud, Flame set foot in such a New York. The eerily silent streets, devoid of people, felt quite strange. Seeing the once-bustling streets now dead, she suddenly recalled the dream she had a year ago.

‘Get a hold of yourself.’

There was a monster here. She couldn’t afford to lose focus.

But then,

“What is this…?”

The monster was already dead.

Seeing the massive, lifeless body of a creature resembling a dog, Flame instinctively looked for someone.

“…Baek Yu-seol.”

On the opposite side of the street stood that boy. Unlike usual, he wore a troubled expression, and even though he had defeated the monster, he hadn’t sheathed his gleaming sword.

She instinctively gripped her staff tightly.

Several helicopters, having noticed that the monster’s energy signature had disappeared, were approaching. They were there to support Flame in case she was injured or needed assistance, and to strategize how to deal with the monster’s corpse.

“Stay back and wait.”

After giving a brief command to them, she approached Baek Yu-seol.

“You’re too late, Flame. It’s time to go back.”

“Where to?”

“To where we originally lived.”

“My home is here.”

“…That’s true. But this isn’t where you belong.”

He pointed to the desolate street.

“The happier you become, the more the world suffers. Are you going to stay here despite that?”

This time, she couldn’t answer immediately. Flame bit her lip hard, and blood oozed out.

“What… do you want me to do?”

“You need to leave this world.”

“To where?”

“You know.”

She felt resentful of Baek Yu-seol, who spoke without any change in expression. Who was this boy who could so easily tell her to die?

“I’m saying this for you.”

“…I can’t believe you.”

“I thought so. That’s why I waited. Until you understood. But… I can’t wait any longer.”

Baek Yu-seol was still wearing his school uniform. The name tag on his chest read, [Guwol High School], showing the name of his alma mater.

“It’s reaching the limit. For the sake of this world, you and I need to leave.”

“I…”

“So, stay put.”

That was the end of their conversation.

[Blink]

In the blink of an eye, Baek Yu-seol was right in front of her.

‘Huh…?’

A white flash split her vision in half.

Slash-!

However, the instinctive shield she had put up blocked the sword from cutting her. But the impact wasn’t nullified, and the mana shield shattered, causing Flame to retch.

“Damn it…”

She had no intention of dying quietly.

Flame spun her staff and struck it on the ground.

Thud!

A pillar of light surged up, enveloping Baek Yu-seol as he wielded his sword. But knowing that this wouldn’t be enough, she prepared another spell…

Crack!

“Ugh!”

But Baek Yu-seol had already circled behind her, swinging his sword, shattering her barrier in chunks. Feeling the sword aiming for her neck, Flame rolled forward with all her might.

-Flame! Are you alright?

Even in her dizzy state, the radio call echoed. Ignoring it, she rolled across the ground.

Thump!

As light exploded, Flame’s body was flung onto the top of a building. Baek Yu-seol followed her with high-speed movement, but she scattered spheres of light wildly in the air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

She had intended to disrupt his path, but the power was stronger than expected, blowing away an entire side of the building.

Thinking it was rather fortunate, Flame slipped into the gap in the building to catch her breath.

“Crazy bastard… really trying to kill me?”
T hi s was c o p i e d f r o m k i n g m tl . org

She had no intention of giving in.

T h i s wa s c o p i e d f ro m k i n g m tl . org
Placing her hands on the ground, massive vines grew, enveloping the building. She planned to use the plants, which moved according to her will, to press him if Baek Yu-seol entered. Even with his high-speed movement, he wouldn’t be free in such a narrow space.

Thud!!

But Baek Yu-seol knew that too well. Moving to the lower floor of the building, he collapsed the floor, causing Flame to fall without resistance.

‘Damn it…!’

With no other choice, she wrapped her body in a light shield and used the explosion to quickly escape outside the building.

Crash!

As the building debris crumbled, the spot where Flame had fallen collapsed.

Had she been even a bit slower, she would have died for sure.

Whizz!

‘He’s coming!’

Unlike her, who wasn’t free in the air, Baek Yu-seol moved nimbly. But she had just finished preparing for this.

Crack!

Dozens of vine stems sprouting from the collapsing building began to connect the buildings like bridges, and Flame landed on one of them.

Whoosh…!

The wind blew, and Baek Yu-seol’s form became blurry again. She could sense it.

‘Behind!’

Without looking back, she struck the ground with her staff, summoning a pillar of light behind her back… but there was no sense of hitting anything.

Looking up, she saw Baek Yu-seol, who had anticipated this and moved forward, swinging his sword.

Crack!!

T hi s w as c op i e d fro m k i n gmt l . or g
“Ugh…”

Half of her shield shattered, twisting her insides severely.

Blood oozed from her mouth.

But she didn’t give up and manipulated the vines forcefully.

Crunch!

The vines transformed into a steel-like substance, coiling around Baek Yu-seol’s body like a snake. No matter where he Blinked, there was no escape.

But he deflected or cut through the steel with his sword, approaching her.

‘Close combat is disadvantageous.’

Sweating profusely, she manipulated the vines to leap toward the opposite building.

Zap! Zap!

Magic fragments scattered, and neon signs exploded and fell. Baek Yu-seol trampled the neon signs and jumped, charging towards her.

‘I must block him…’

However, no matter how many shields she deployed,

no matter how many attacks she attempted,

nothing worked.

It felt like hitting a huge wall.

While the opponent merely moved quickly and swung his sword, her various magic attacks couldn’t touch him.

T hi s wa s c op ied f r o m k i n g m t l .o r g
Perhaps it was her lack of experience in magical combat.

The overwhelming difference in experience cast a shadow over her.

“You bastard!!”

Th is w a s c o p i ed f r o m k ing m t l . o r g
No matter what she tried, she couldn’t match him. But regardless of the opponent, she wouldn’t give up.

Flame shot beams of light while leaping between buildings using the vines, and Baek Yu-seol deflected those beams while pursuing her.

The entire New York lit up with beams of light, plants grew, and explosions echoed.

All because of the fight between just two people.

“Huff, huff…”

Dropping the vines weakly and landing on the rooftop of a building, Flame knelt.

In the distance, she thought she could see the city skyline. Now that she realized… this place was the famous Empire State Building.

‘Who would’ve thought I’d visit New York’s landmark like this.’

Thinking such silly thoughts, Flame struggled to stand up.

Thud!

Hearing the sound of Baek Yu-seol landing behind her, she turned her head.

Their eyes met.

Clear, dark-colored eyes.

“Why…”

She no longer cast any spells. She just spoke to Baek Yu-seol, who was slowly approaching her.

“Why are you so intent on killing me…”

She felt resentment.

If my death resolves everything, then how could there be such a thing in this world?

She was happy.

Every day, every moment of living and breathing, was filled with happiness.

T hi s was c o p i ed fro m k i n gm t l . o r g
When she ate, walked on the street, studied, played with friends, watched movies, hunted monsters, and even when going to sleep.

Every single moment was happiness.

But the truth was, if my happiness was actually pushing the world into misery,

if my existence was leading the world to destruction…

“That’s… too much…”

Tears welled up in Flame’s eyes.

Even if she didn’t want to accept reality, she had no choice but to accept it.

T h i s w a s c o p ie d f r o m k i n gmt l .o r g
She knew it.

She had sensed it long ago.

While living in the feeling of being the protagonist of this world, she always had doubts.

‘Why am I so happy?’

Baek Yu-seol, who had approached her, pointed his sword at her neck.

She didn’t resist and bowed her head.

Closing her eyes, clenching her teeth tightly,

she asked,

“If I disappear… will this world truly become happy?”

“Then, what will happen to me…?”

It was a strange question.

If she was going to die anyway, what did it matter?

T hi s wa s c o pi e d f r o m k i n gmt l . o r g
But surprisingly, Baek Yu-seol answered immediately.

“You will be happy even in death.”
Th i s w as copi e d f r o m ki n g m t l . o r g

“…Haha, what a joke. How can one be happy after dying?”

This time, Baek Yu-seol hesitated. But in the end, he didn’t elaborate. Now, there was no need.

He smiled.

While it might seem insane for someone to smile while killing someone, Baek Yu-seol looked relieved, as if he had finally resolved all his burdens.

“No, you will really be happy. I’ll make sure of that.”

“What? What does that…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence.

From above… a white ball of light was falling.

“It’s beautiful, right?”

“No, wait, that’s…”

“The monster I hunted this time has a unique feature. The main body is nothing special, but when it dies, it drops a pillar of light on its corpse. It’s called Heaven’s Gate because it looks like an angel descending…”

Baek Yu-seol started to ramble. Had he ever spoken this much before? It was as if he was chatting with a close friend in a cafe, just having a casual conversation.

She couldn’t hear him.

‘Haha…’

So, this is how I die.
Th i s w a s cop i ed f r o m k i n g m tl . o r g

Feeling that the time had come, Flame accepted this moment with humility.

Shuaa-!

As the world turned whiter and whiter, Baek Yu-seol held her hand and helped her up.

He said something, but the sound was buried under the massive noise.

But she could clearly see his lips moving.

‘Let’s go back.’

Finally, Flame remembered who this boy pulling her away was.

‘Ah, right.’

Why hadn’t I remembered until now?

How foolish.

‘You came all this way to get me.’

At the highest point of a city covered in pure white light, Flame finally smiled brightly.

It was a smile happier than any moment she had spent in this world.

End of Chapter.