Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 192

Chapter 192

Everything Frozen (5)

The 13th Extermination Unit of the Tower of the New Moon.

Vice-Captain Hyeijin Macaron.
T h i s was co p i ed f r o m ki n g mt l . or g

Hyeijin was an elite among elites of the world’s top magic warriors organization, which was so secretive that even the ‘Magic Council’ at the pinnacle of the magic world had the authority to judge them.

Hyeijin Macaron’s life had always been driven by interest and would continue to be so in the future.

She was quite fond of adventures. The reason she followed Captain Kaen was that being with him always led to interesting and exciting events.

However, that didn’t mean…

‘I hate this!’

The act of truly putting her life on the line for an adventure was not at all interesting to Hyeijin.

Whoosh!

The chilling cold wind that brushed past her cheek gradually numbed her senses. It was a sensation she had never experienced before. She tried to use magic to generate warmth, but it was impossible.

‘W-What?’

She was genuinely confused. All the mana in the world had frozen solid and refused to move.

‘This… doesn’t make sense…’

Mana freezing phenomena?

How could such a thing happen out of nowhere?

But what was even more astonishing was…

“What is this place…?”

It was an entirely blue world. A world filled with blue… with a single white bridge standing alone.

And there, walking ahead of her, was the familiar back of Baek Yu-seol.

Unconsciously, she looked up at the sky.

Stars and the Milky Way were embedded in the blue sky.

To reiterate, it wasn’t sky-colored but blue.

The blue was so deep and dark that it even evoked human fear, making Hyeijin’s fingertips tremble.

The scary part wasn’t just that.

Beneath the only bridge they could step on in this world, the sky unfolded as well.

The sky and the ground.

Both were filled with constellations.

Thunk!

“Ah…”

With her legs giving way, Hyeijin collapsed to the floor.

She tried to cover her mouth with her hands, but then realized the true nature of the strange sensation.

Creak… Creak…

Her hands and feet… were gradually freezing.

“W-What?”

Her fingers, wrapped in icy coldness, refused to budge. She hurriedly tried to use magic, but the mana remained frozen, immovable.

Just as Hyeijin was about to open her mouth in shock, Kaen placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Get a hold of yourself, Hyeijin. Are you really a master of illusion magic?”

“C-Captain! M-My hands…”
T h i s w a s c o p i ed f ro m k i n gm t l . o rg

“It’s your ‘mind’ that’s freezing. Focus. Warm your hands with your mind.”

“I-I’ll try…”

However, closing her eyes tightly and concentrating, the terrible, vivid pain of her frozen hands and feet made it impossible to do as she wished.

“I-I can’t…”

“I’ll help you.”

Grip!

Finally, Kaen took Hyeijin’s hands, and the warmth gradually melted the ice.

“Phew, thank goodness…”

“What’s there to be thankful for?”

“I thought my hands and feet would freeze off…”

“That’s an unnecessary worry.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, because we’re already frozen to death.”

“…Huh?”

What was he talking about?

“C-Captain? What did you just say…?”

“I meant it literally. This space is close to absolute zero. Physically impossible, but it could be even colder.”

“That makes no sense! Then how are we alive?”

“Even death has frozen.”

This made no sense at all. Unable to comprehend or accept it, Hyeijin was about to ask more questions, but Kaen grabbed her and pulled her along, making it impossible.

“Don’t worry. There is a way back.”

“You never lie, so it must be true, right?”

“Yes.”

Kaen was an all-knowing, versatile mage. So, he would manage this situation somehow.

“For now, let’s follow Baek Yu-seol.”

“Okay…”

The bridge was exceedingly long and never-ending.

Hyeijin, still holding onto Kaen’s right hand with both hands, awkwardly followed while appreciating the surrounding scenery anew.

A world where even time and space seemed frozen, freezing even death.

The constellations filling the sky and ground were, upon closer inspection, merely countless ice shards.

Thousands, tens of thousands of ice shards gathered to form constellations.

Unconsciously, she thought it was ‘beautiful’ and shook her head vigorously. She didn’t want to beautify a world where she might die.

Ahead, Baek Yu-seol was blocked by a large aurora wall, unable to proceed. Kaen approached him with Hyeijin in tow.

“…Did you follow me all the way here?”

“Yes.”

Baek Yu-seol, who had been staring at the aurora, turned his head slightly and made eye contact with them.

He showed no signs of being cold, appearing mentally stronger than even the illusion mage, Hyeijin.

Hyeijin felt a moment of pride, but had to admit that Baek Yu-seol’s skills in ignoring illusion magic were far superior to hers.

Kaen watched Baek Yu-seol from more than five paces away, indicating he wouldn’t interfere. Confirming this, Baek Yu-seol turned to the aurora again.

He was nervous.

Honestly, he felt like his heart was about to burst, but he held it in.

‘I just have to do what I know.’

Games and reality are different.

What passed safely in the game could change at any moment in reality.

But he had to do it.

If he didn’t, he could never prevent Hong Bi-yeon’s bad ending.

Baek Yu-seol stared at the enormous aurora wall blocking his way. This aurora, splitting the world in half, was the final boundary.

It was saying not to come any closer.

Ignoring the warning, he touched the aurora.

-Stop. I do not want you to come any closer.

“Uh…”

At the voice echoing through the world like a reverberation, Hyeijin collapsed to the floor. Kaen didn’t fall but his face also showed surprise.

“No. I’m going in.”

-Huh… Humans again. I’m tired of you.

“Your statement is an exaggeration. The last human who came here was a thousand years ago, wasn’t it?”

-Is that so? I’m not good with time, so I can’t say for sure. When was that?

“The era of the Progenitor Mage.”

-…Ah? Oh, right. I see.

Hyeijin barely calmed her trembling body and looked at Baek Yu-seol’s back.

‘What is that…’

Just hearing the voice made her blood feel like it was flowing backwards, but Baek Yu-seol stood there calmly, even conversing.

She felt a sense of awe towards him.

Of course, Baek Yu-seol also found it hard to endure.

Even with the blessing of another Twelve Divine Moons, his current abilities were very low, so there was nothing he could do.

Thanks to sharing Flowerseorin’s blessing and carrying a relic, he was able to slowly adapt.
Th i s w a s c o pi e d f ro m k i n g mt l. o r g

-It’s been a long time, indeed. So, what’s your business? Those who could converse with me were usually called heroes or kings in history. Are you one of them?

“I am a student.”

-Hmm. I’ve never heard of a student, but it must be significant enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with kings.

“That’s correct.”

-So, what’s your purpose? If you’ve come for a trivial reason, go back. For now, I can still thaw your frozen souls.

Hyeijin urgently tugged at Kaen’s sleeve. She wanted to say, ‘Let’s return quickly!’ but her tongue was frozen, so she couldn’t.

-However, the moment you cross that boundary… I cannot be responsible. You will be trapped in the cycle of death forever, wandering the dimensional perimeter.

“It doesn’t matter. Open the path.”

-Reason?
T his w a s c o pied f r o m ki n gm t l.o r g

“I want to make a bet with you.”

The voice fell silent.

Then, after a long while…

-Puhahahaha!

He burst into laughter.

-A bet! A bet, I like it!

According to the setting, ‘Blue Winter December’ was as much a gamble addict as Ma Yuseong. In Aether World Online, ‘Character Baek Yu-seol’ couldn’t easily pass this dialogue scene, but ‘Character Ma Yuseong’ had no problems.

The keyword was a bet.

Whoosh!

“Ugh…!”

Suddenly, the aurora in front of them cleared, and a brilliant white light streamed out, making Hyeijin squint.

When she slowly opened her eyes again.

“…Is that the moon?”

They could see a gigantic white moon floating alone in the entirely blue world. Under the moonlight, which seemed to cover half the sky, lay a white mountain range. Hyeijin and Kaen didn’t know, but that was part of the Northern Arctic Ice Mountain of the Aether Continent.

And there, under the moonlight, sat a blue giant, Blue Winter December.

It was overwhelming.

It was awe-inspiring.

She felt fear just by raising her head and trying to make eye contact.

Hyeijin even shed tears, but they froze instantly.

“I… I really hate this…”

She clung tightly to Kaen’s sleeve. Meanwhile, Kaen was staring at the Twelve Divine Moons in awe.

‘The Twelve Divine Moons…’

He had heard countless tales in legends, but never imagined he would face one directly. Kaen was equally astonished.

How many people in history had conversed with the Twelve Divine Moons? As far as he knew, they could be counted on one hand.

-A very interesting proposal, human!

Blue Winter December grinned at Baek Yu-seol.

-So, if we are to bet, what will you wager? What do you desire?

“If I win, I want you to release the soul of the pirate king Black Bellize, who is eternally wandering for stealing your item.”

-…Oh.

Blue Winter December, with a subtly surprised expression, didn’t ask for details. Such matters were trivial to him.

-So it hasn’t perished yet and is still wandering. That arrogant pirate is indeed remarkable. If it were an ordinary soul, it would have vanished long ago…

After pondering for a moment, he nodded.

-Very well. It’s about time to release it. Now, my proposal.

Blue Winter December spoke while looking directly at Baek Yu-seol.

-Your life. If I win… you must pay with your death for stepping onto this sacred land.

“Agreed.”

Without hesitation, Baek Yu-seol nodded and stepped inside the aurora’s boundary, which was wide open.

“C-Captain… We’re not going in, right?”

“Correct. We are not participants in the bet.”

However, Blue Winter December didn’t seem to mind having two spectators and didn’t close the aurora’s boundary.

As if telling them to watch.

Baek Yu-seol walked confidently with large strides toward Blue Winter December. Compared to the giant presence, his back seemed infinitely small, but why was that?

Kaen felt that Baek Yu-seol’s shoulders looked as vast as the giant mountain.

‘This is strange.’

The legend of Blue Winter December’s gambling was well-known. The entity, who loved bets, had been challenged by countless heroes but had never lost.

So, Baek Yu-seol would lose as well.

But what was this confident stride?

It was as if… he was sure of his victory. Even though losing would mean his death, he showed no fear, only confidence.

‘Phew.’

Reaching the mountain’s base, Baek Yu-seol closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

‘Don’t give up.’

He recalled the one important comment he had written in his own [Guidebook].

‘No matter what happens, do not give up.’

It might sound easy, but persistence is never easy.

But now, Baek Yu-seol had to achieve ‘not giving up.’

The whole world was a blank white paper. Like paper with no ink or dust falling on it.

When he took his first step towards the mountain, that blank paper finally had a period.

Baek Yu-seol walked slowly, and the periods accumulated to form a line.

Icicles connected the sky and the ground, and in this mysterious world where even clouds and waterfalls were frozen, Baek Yu-seol’s presence was infinitely dirty and foreign.

And there, Blue Winter December awaited him directly.

With a single breath, a blizzard arose, and with a single blink, the world folded and unfolded.

He still wore a smile.

Like a person excited with anticipation.

-Good! Let’s start right away.

Th i s wa s c o pie d f r o m k in gm t l . o r g
And so, a bet that could not be won began.

—

The place where the challenge was happening was one of the towering peaks within the white mountain range.

This peak, sharply carved like a knife, had two uphill paths resembling slides, with a large, round ice boulder at the base.

The method for winning was simple.

Each person would roll their ice boulder, and the first to cross the ‘finish line’ at the peak would be the winner.

This bet was also quite famous… Kaen had encountered it numerous times in fairy tales as a child.

‘I never thought I’d see this in person…’

No one could imagine what it felt like to witness a legend firsthand. Hyeijin also recognized the gravity of the situation and stopped whining. She merely clung tightly to Kaen’s sleeve.

Rustle…!

A hexagonal ice snowflake gently fell from the sky. When it touched the ground and became one with the vast mountain range, the bet began.

T hi s wa s co p i e d f r o m ki ng m t l . or g
“…Huh?”

Hyeijin doubted her own eyes.

“W-What… Did he challenge the Twelve Divine Moons with that…skill?”

She couldn’t believe it.

Was it because he was amazing? Absolutely not.

Compared to Blue Winter December, his speed was ridiculously slow.

She knew countless legends. The heroes who had previously challenged Blue Winter December were no ordinary beings.

Heroes who ruled an era, pirate kings who dominated all seas, conquerors who unified the continent, swordsmen who pacified the world with a single sword, and even great mages who reached the sky.

Countless legends had challenged Blue Winter December and lost.

But at the very least, they didn’t show such a pathetic difference in skill.

Baek Yu-seol was slow.

While Blue Winter December rolled the ice boulder with terrifying speed, the black-haired boy barely moved it an inch, struggling as if it was too much for him.

‘This is absurd…’

Did he come all the way here to make such a ridiculous bet?

If that was all he had, there was no hope. Baek Yu-seol would lose his life.

“Captain. Let’s just go back…huh?”

But Kaen was watching Baek Yu-seol with an unusually serious expression.

‘…Why?’

The time he spent coming here felt wasted, but what was there to see? Blue Winter December was fascinating, but wouldn’t it be better to leave quickly than to be caught up in this?

Then, about an hour later, Hyeijin also sensed something strange.

Blue Winter December reached the peak in just 30 minutes, making the victory clear.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k i n g m t l . o r g
‘…Why isn’t he giving up?’

He had already lost.

Baek Yu-seol continued to climb the sharp cliff peak slowly, like a turtle. Was it that the enormous ice boulder was too much for him? Sometimes he slipped, sometimes he fell, but he always got back up and moved forward.

‘Does he not realize he lost…?’

A day passed, then two days.

Finally, after a week passed, Hyeijin realized…

‘Even knowing he lost, he’s not giving up… to see the contest through?’

She looked up.

There, Blue Winter December stood still, watching the boy.

He would stay there, watching, until the human gave up, died, or reached the peak.

‘This is crazy. It’s impossible. With such a weak body, there’s no way he can reach the peak…’

Even moving the enormous ice boulder was a miracle for a human body, and the idea of reaching the sharp, slippery ice peak was absurd.

There was nothing to see.

He would lose.

So, she should leave quickly.
T h i s w as c o pi e d f ro m k in g m tl. o r g

Even with such strong thoughts, her legs stayed firmly planted, as if nailed to the spot.

As two weeks passed, ice spirits gathered to observe the foolish human boy. After a month, glacier spirits gathered, and after two months, the stars in the sky seemed to watch.

During that time, Hyeijin neither felt hungry nor sleepy.

Even time… had frozen.

All the spirits watched the foolish human’s spirit. They neither cheered nor encouraged.

The boy did not stop.
T h i s w as c o p i e d fr om k i n g m tl . o r g

As if he would climb forever, he climbed and climbed again.

Whoosh!!

Suddenly, it rained.

Boom, crash!

Thunder and lightning struck.

Whoosh!

A snowstorm blew in.

Rumble!

An avalanche occurred.

But Baek Yu-seol did not stop.

He looked almost dead. It was a wonder he was alive. But he continued to climb. Towards where Blue Winter December sat, no, towards the peak.

Finally, after three months had passed.

When Baek Yu-seol finally reached the peak and stepped on the ‘finish line.’

Blue Winter December smiled.

-Remarkable, human.

“Huff, huff…!”

In agonizing pain, as if he would vomit blood, Baek Yu-seol staggered up and faced Blue Winter December.

Then, he smiled back and made a joke.

“Ah, too bad… Cough! If I’d come… five minutes earlier… I would’ve… won…!”

-Hahahaha!

Blue Winter December’s laughter shook the heavens and the earth. It was laughter born of pure joy.
T h i s w a s c o p i ed f rom k in g m t l. o r g

-What are you saying, human?

Blue Winter December pointed his finger at his ice boulder and spoke calmly.

-It’s your victory.

Finally, Hyeijin and Kaen saw it. Blue Winter December’s ice boulder… had not even crossed the ‘start line.’

“W-What…”

Hyeijin was so astonished that she shouted without thinking.

That’s right.

From the beginning, this bet made no sense. Blue Winter December was the master of ice. Rolling ice on a cliff was… something he could do without even touching it.

So why did he bother to compete with historical heroes in the name of ‘bets’?

To truly win against them?

To hope they would beat him?

No, not at all.

He just… had no opponents in this world who could bet with him.

Regardless of winning or losing, he had hoped someone would not give up and bet against him.

Blue Winter December approached his ice boulder, pushed it with his fingertip to cross the line, and said.

-What a shame. If I had just five more minutes, I would have won.

End of Chapter