Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 195

Chapter 195

Everything Frozen (8)

Firelight and heat-producing energy.

Though it was one of the most fundamental and essential elements in this world, even magic couldn’t properly control it.

The only way to use it was to ignite a flame and harness the energy of explosions to attack enemies, illuminate surroundings, or forcefully extract something else using its energy.

But, not anymore.

‘This is the true flame…’

Hong Bi-yeon felt she might finally grasp the true essence of fire, something no one in history had ever comprehended.

As her palm moved, the flames danced, and when her index finger touched them gently, a butterfly made of fire landed on it.

Something no one had ever done before.

Therefore, an even greater accomplishment.

‘I can do it.’

I am the flame, and the flame is me.

Immersing herself in the essence of the world, becoming one with the fire and moving it as easily as her hands and feet felt entirely natural.

It was rather an enjoyable and fantastical experience.

Who else could experience such a mystical phenomenon?

Only I can do this.

Just a bit more… just a bit more.

If I could embrace this mysterious sensation, I might fully understand the true essence of [Fire].

…That was the plan.

T h i s w a s c o pie d fro m k i ng m t l . o rg
-Stop it! Don’t do it!

Ugh!

A sharp voice echoed in her mind, causing Hong Bi-yeon to snap out of her reverie and open her eyes. The sensation of the flames that had clung to her body evaporated into thin air.

‘What are you doing?’

-You are in danger if you continue.

The voice, the Fire Avatar, spoke calmly for the first time.

-You are too young and weak to grasp that realization. If you attain [Truth] at your current level… you will become fire and be extinguished.

‘What… what do you mean? You told me to go berserk earlier.’

-That was because I wanted you to be extinguished. I deeply loathe Adolevit to my very bones. Haha, though I have no bones!

Hong Bi-yeon closed her eyes tightly. She wanted to grasp that truth again, but it had already fled far away and showed no sign of returning.

It was unbearably painful and agonizing, but there was no way to reclaim it now.

-Endure a bit more. It’s not far off. I assure you, you will grasp it again. The disciple of the Progenitor Mage, ‘Adolevit’, couldn’t accomplish it, but you can.

‘Why?’

T h is w a s co p i e d f r om ki ngm t l.o r g
-I am a fragment of Red Summer June and the Fire Avatar. Therefore, I can be sure. You will… find me again in the future.

Hong Bi-yeon was momentarily stunned by those words.

-You are too precious to vanish here. Ha… damn. I never thought a day would come when I would save a human.

Grumbling a few more times, the Fire Avatar spoke to Hong Bi-yeon in a subdued voice.

-Adolevit child, listen well. The flames dormant in your body will soon burn you painfully. You cannot withstand it as you are now. Therefore, you must expel all of it immediately. Can you do it?

‘That is…’

-Perfect timing. Don’t you see that big piece of firewood ahead? Burn that!

Hong Bi-yeon slowly turned her gaze to the Pirate King, Black Bellize.

Behind his towering form, higher than a mountain, a massive ice spike was growing. Though she had no knowledge about it, she instinctively understood.

Once that spike touches the sky… this entire area will be covered in ice.

It must be stopped before then.

‘Can I do it?’

Hong Bi-yeon slowly ignited her flames. Though the sensation of becoming one with the fire had mostly vanished, thanks to the Fire Avatar’s help, explosive energy coursed through her meridians for the first time.

-The best move would be to burn that guy’s eyes with those flames and then run. You can’t defeat him with your current strength.

-Damn, it’s frustrating. If you were a bit stronger, I could share more of my flames with you…

‘It doesn’t matter.’

T h i s was co pi e d f r om k i n g m t l . o r g
Whoosh! With flames in both hands, Hong Bi-yeon soared into the sky. She had never formally learned flight magic, but she understood the basics.

Using the wings of fire spread by the Flower of Fire, flying freely was a piece of cake.

The Pirate King slowly turned his gaze to follow Hong Bi-yeon and spoke in a deep voice.

“Do not resist.”

“…My life has always been about resistance.”

T h i s w a s c o pi e d f rom k in g m t l .o r g
Having lived her entire life resisting, how could she stop now just because she was told to? Hong Bi-yeon sharpened her gaze and fired her flames with all her might.

Immediately afterward.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

An enormous explosion, hard to believe she had caused, rocked the Pirate King’s skull.

“This, this is…”

-Haha! How is it? Amazing, right? That’s just a fraction of my power!

She swallowed hard. This level of power was easily above 8th class.

And yet, it was hard to believe that this was just a fraction of the Fire Avatar’s power.

-But handle it carefully. The flames I can provide you are limited. If your body can’t endure it, I’ll extinguish the flames immediately. I want… you to survive.

Without answering, Hong Bi-yeon flew even higher. Then, she gathered flames in both hands and compressed them.

At first, it was about the size of a large hut, but it gradually shrank to the size of a carriage. Eventually, it became as small as a full-body mirror and emitted a fierce light like a small sun.

‘Using small spells multiple times is pointless.’

The Pirate King has the Ice Avatar dormant within him, just like me. However, he can fully harness the Avatar’s power, unlike me.

Therefore, my plan is to land the most effective strike possible to momentarily incapacitate him and then destroy that ice spike behind him.
T h is was co p i e d f r om k i n g mt l . o rg

The Pirate King continued to watch Hong Bi-yeon as she prepared her magic.

“You… resemble that woman.”

With those cryptic words, he raised his palm and created an ice barrier.

“Too late!”

Hong Bi-yeon hurled the small sun at the ice barrier, causing an enormous explosion of steam and shockwaves to erupt in all directions.

Boom!

“Ugh…!”

For the first time, Black Bellize, the Pirate King who hadn’t wavered under any attack, took a step back. Witnessing this, for the first time, people found hope.

“The princess is confronting the Pirate King…”

“How could this be…”

Hong Bi-yeon had never held much influence within the royal family.

Though everyone knew she was a genius, her accomplishments paled in comparison to those of Hong Si-hwa, who had achieved countless feats. Her cold and stoic personality made her unapproachable.

She had also grown up under the queen’s disdain, making it hard for anyone to approach her warmly even if they liked her.

The third princess was despised by the queen. Was there anyone in the palace unaware of this?

Therefore, following the queen’s orders and the palace’s atmosphere, everyone hated and resented Hong Bi-yeon.

It had become the norm, and no one questioned it.

But, upon reconsideration.

Even so, Hong Bi-yeon had lived on.

Without giving up, she showcased and unleashed her talents to the fullest, eventually standing in that spot… fighting against the vengeful spirit of the Pirate King that even the queen couldn’t confront.

Boom!

The power of Hong Bi-yeon and the Pirate King’s magic was such that the impact generated by each collision was beyond what any ordinary mage could withstand.

Though it seemed like an even match, Hong Bi-yeon soon reached her limit.

-Hey, be more cautious. The flames you are allowed to use are limited.

‘…I know.’

There was no other way.

These flames aren’t mine.

They are borrowed from the Flower of Fire, so I should use them sparingly. But, to find an opening against the Pirate King, who possesses far greater power, I had no choice.

‘There’s no time…

Even if the Pirate King falls here, once that spike touches the sky, it will be irreversible.

She closed her eyes tightly.

Pondering and pondering again.

But no matter how much she thought.

‘There’s only one way…’

While flying through the sky, evading the Pirate King’s attacks and unleashing flames, Hong Bi-yeon suddenly changed direction.

Toward the Pirate King.

-What, what? You crazy kid! What are you doing? Get some distance! You can’t handle him up close!

The Fire Avatar hastily tried to stop her, but Hong Bi-yeon didn’t stop.

Tracing the path of flames, she flew through the air, nearing the Pirate King, where she was swept by an enormous cold wave and ice storm.

“Ugh…!”

She struggled to emit flames, enduring the terrifying cold, but it was impossible to completely erase the pain.

Nevertheless, she tenaciously bore it and advanced toward the Pirate King.

-You can’t be…

Finally realizing something, the Fire Avatar spoke in a bewildered voice.

-Are you planning to detonate all the flames you have left…?

Hong Bi-yeon didn’t answer.

There was no need to praise him for guessing correctly.

-No, but… that will certainly destroy the ‘Root of Winter’…

Some magic works best from a distance, while some are more effective up close.

But the flames Hong Bi-yeon unleashed weren’t exactly magic.

They were simply taking shape according to her knowledge and theory, being emitted in a formed state.

However… having glimpsed a bit of the [Truth] about fire, she knew well.

The act of forcibly forming flames is just a framework created by mages who cannot properly control them.

To unleash the true power of fire, there should be no control.

So she decided not to control it.

She would release all the flames dormant in the Flower of Fire at once.

Then… for a moment, she could mimic the grand magic of a great 9th class mage.

But.

That was all fine.

-…What do you plan to do next?

The Fire Avatar asked, but Hong Bi-yeon didn’t answer.

-You’re not foolishly planning to sacrifice yourself for the country, are you? If so, stop immediately. You are more valuable than all the citizens of this nation combined!

‘…Don’t talk nonsense.’

Finally reaching right in front of the Pirate King, Hong Bi-yeon met his gaze. The sharp blizzard and whirlpool pressing down on her were fierce, but she wasn’t afraid.

Slowly… but without caution, she drew out all the flames within her.

Including even the feeble flames she possessed herself.

Whoosh!

A small candle flame ignited in the midst of a gigantic blizzard. It might seem insignificant, but the fact that a flame could bloom within such a massive tempest was proof that it was anything but ordinary.

The small flame gradually grew larger.

Like an avalanche.

It started the size of a pebble, but soon it grew to the size of a house, and in a blink of an eye, it became so enormous that it filled the entire view… a giant sun.

‘Hellfire.’

An ultimate spell of flame magic that burns the enemy forever until they are annihilated.

-This is…!

Since it wasn’t magic, it was unleashed without any casting or preparation time, leaving the Pirate King unable to properly respond.

-What a reckless act!

Never expecting a human’s frail body to charge here and release flames, the Pirate King was greatly startled and tried to cover Hong Bi-yeon with ice.

But the ice couldn’t touch her and melted away.

Boom!

The ribs protecting the heart of the Pirate King melted in the flames, his jaw ignited and blazed, and his lower body wobbled, unable to maintain balance.

Even so… the Pirate King didn’t fall. Such an explosion was far from enough.

Having stolen the relic of Blue Winter December and fully accepting the Ice Avatar within him, the Pirate King now had the strength of a 9th class mage or more after a thousand years.

The Pirate King, his eyes glowing, spoke to Hong Bi-yeon.

“Foolish act. Even in this, you are just like that woman.”

Though greatly damaged, the Pirate King didn’t fall.

In contrast, that frail human mage would burn herself to death by the flames she unleashed.

Even if she didn’t, the Pirate King wouldn’t let her, already within his grasp, escape.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i n gm t l . o r g
However, Hong Bi-yeon’s goal was never the Pirate King.

The source of the calamity.

The root of winter, aiming to cover the entire world in eternal winter.

Hong Bi-yeon closed her eyes.

She controlled the flames one last time to direct them.

…In an instant, an explosion.

And then, silence.

No noise was heard anymore.

“What have you done…!”

Th i s wa s c op i e d fr o m k i n g m t l. o r g
The bewildered voice of the Pirate King, Black Bellize, echoed through the heavens. The Hellfire spear she created had successfully pierced through his body and severed the root of winter growing from his back.

“…But, it is over now.”

The low voice of the Flower of Fire brushed Hong Bi-yeon’s ear.

By cutting off the root of winter, the calamity was averted. The eternal winter would no longer come upon the world… but.

The Pirate King was still alive.

And now, he was genuinely furious at Hong Bi-yeon.

The Flower of Fire was in unbearable pain at the fact that it could do nothing in this hopeless situation.

Thi s wa s c o pi e d f r o m k ing m t l . o r g
For the first time in its life, it had found a human it wanted to save. She could surpass Adolevit and truly understand the existence of ‘fire.’

-There is nothing I can do…

The Pirate King’s roar echoed through the world. The shockwave turned the clouds into donut shapes, and the flying ships hanging in the air were all pushed back.

Hong Bi-yeon, at the center of the disaster, knelt and looked up at it.

The sky was blue.

It was an exceptionally beautiful night with constellations.

-You have exhausted all your flames and can no longer resist him. It’s a pity. If I had met you when you were even a bit stronger…
T h i s was cop i e d f r o m ki n gm tl. o rg

The Pirate King, enraged, raised both hands. Whatever he intended, she didn’t know. But even if she knew, she couldn’t respond.

-I admire your spirit of self-sacrifice for the country. It was a momentarily enjoyable time, descendant of Adolevit.

The Fire Avatar, though bitter, exchanged final farewells, but Hong Bi-yeon found his misunderstanding laughable and shook her head with a bitter smile.

“What nonsense are you talking about? I don’t want to die yet.”

-What?

She had a clear goal.

A reason to live on.

I must be happy in the future.

Self-sacrifice?

No way would I do such a foolish thing.

Hong Bi-yeon was just an extremely selfish girl, traveling her life to find her own happiness.

-Then, why…

Why did you commit such a reckless act if you didn’t want to die? The Fire Avatar was about to ask, astonished, when suddenly…

The sky displayed an aurora.

A mysterious pillar of light descended from the sky right above where the Pirate King, Black Bellize, stood, splitting the clouds.

And from that place.
T h is w a s c op i e d f r o m k i n g m tl . o rg

A boy appeared.

Though his clothes were tattered and torn, it was undoubtedly the uniform of Stella. Though the distance was so great that he seemed like a mere dot, Hong Bi-yeon recognized him faster than anyone.

‘You finally came.’

Holding a long, blue spear in one hand, he was desperately falling toward this place.

The spear left a trail of blue light as it moved, making the boy’s descent look like a slowly falling lightning strike. Even in this tense situation, it was so beautiful that it mesmerized her.

Right… I knew you would come like this.

She had no intention of dying.

No matter how reckless her actions were, she knew he would come if she succeeded.

Flash!

The blue beam falling from the sky pierced through the Pirate King’s heart in an instant, and a sudden flash of light turned the world white.

In that world, Hong Bi-yeon could finally smile.

‘I am… still alive.’

The proof that she was alive was only one thing.

Because this moment was happy.

Because the feeling of happiness overflowed like a wave, filling her heart.

She was alive.

And she would live tomorrow too.

Because tomorrow would be happier than today.

End of Chapter