Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 261

Chapter 261

The Noble Soul (11)

***

Soya struggled to understand Baek Yu-seol’s words with a blank expression.

“To kill someone?”

It was definitely Cheollibeun she mentioned.

He had challenged the Dark Mage King, and despite being defeated, he had fled, claiming he could preserve his insignificant life.

Now, as a “traitor,” his whereabouts were said to be unknown…

“Cheollibeun? Did you say Cheollibeun?”

“Yeah. Why? Scared?”

“Ha… You really are clueless, being human and all…”

She swept her hair back behind her neck as she spoke.

“Cheollibeun is the worst criminal in the dark mage society. Just bringing his head to the Dark Mage King would earn you an enormous reward. So why hasn’t anyone hunted him down until now?”

He was strong enough to challenge the Dark Mage King. And his whereabouts had been elusive for years.

“He’s been missing for years now. I’ve even looked for him a few times, but hunting down Cheollibeun is impossible…”

“You just keep babbling.”

“…What?”

Since the conversation was dragging on without any benefit, Baek Yu-seol abruptly cut off her excuses and continued.

“Do you think I’d suggest this without considering such trivial matters? I know where Cheollibeun is. And I know you can’t beat him.”

Soya’s expression hardened.

She couldn’t defeat Cheollibeun.

That was a clear fact. From the existing dark mages, how many could beat him? Probably no one, except for the Dark Mage King…

Thus, Soya intended to refuse this proposal. Even if the method Baek Yu-seol spoke of, “how to perfectly extract the spirit heart,” was tempting, it wasn’t worth risking her life for it.

Therefore, Baek Yu-seol had to present a condition that would entice her.

“You can’t kill Cheollibeun in a straight fight.”

“But there is a way to win.”

“What? That’s the same thing. Are you just playing with words?”

“It’s different. You seem to be the one not understanding.”

Only then did Soya suddenly grasp Baek Yu-seol’s words.

While she couldn’t kill him in a face-to-face battle… there was a way to win.

“All I need to do is bring Cheollibeun’s head, so is there really a need to confront him directly?”

“That means…”

“There is a very lethal weakness he has. I know what it is. So, what do you say? Shall we make a deal?”

“…Cheollibeun has a weakness? Even if that’s true, how can I trust you?”

How could she persuade him further? What evidence could she provide?

The truth is, all of the above was a lie.

Soya was in danger.

She possessed a very special ability, enough to steal the spirit heart, and even when considering only physical capabilities, it was clear that Baek Yu-seol would be defeated before they could even engage properly.

Nonetheless, she couldn’t leave a person threatening Leafanel alone.

‘Using barbarians against barbarians, huh?’

That woman couldn’t beat Cheollibeun.

Even if the sky fell and the world began anew, that fact wouldn’t change.

In the original Aether World Online, there had been several battle scenes between Soya and Cheollibeun, all of which ended in Cheollibeun’s overwhelming victory.

This was because Cheollibeun’s abilities were an upgraded version compared to Soya’s.

In other words, the intention behind sending her to Cheollibeun was to deal with Soya without touching her.

‘If I’m going to tempt that woman here, then…’

Baek Yu-seol, who was planning to shake Soya’s head with another lie, suddenly narrowed her eyes at a peculiar feeling that tightened her senses. She could feel something as she stared intently into Soya’s eyes.

[Half-belief, positivity, excitement, suspicion, vigilance, indecision.]

She could see various shards of emotion. This was undoubtedly the ability of Red Spring March.

*…More positive than I expected?*

She thought there would be deep suspicion, but it seemed she had already tilted this way halfway.

‘Then, rather than clumsy lies…’

Baek Yu-seol cleared her throat and nonchalantly spat out.

“You’re full of doubts. The proposal is canceled. I suggested this because I believed in your reputation strong enough to extract the spirit heart, but it seems you’re just a coward like Cheollibeun. I’ll ask someone else.”

Just as Baek Yu-seol was about to pick up her shoes, Soya’s clone suddenly approached and grabbed her wrist silently.

Thud!

…

She was quite surprised as she hadn’t sensed the movement, but since she had vaguely anticipated her reaction, she pretended not to be flustered and spoke calmly.

“What, did your thoughts change?”

“…I’ll hear you out. What exactly is that weakness? Can I really take his head? And can you help me absorb the heart?”

She had come around.

Baek Yu-seol subtly raised the corners of her mouth, hiding it from view, and nodded.

“Alright, let’s talk slowly.”

***

“……Huh!”

As the sensation of the clone returning washed over her, countless memories flooded into Soya’s mind.

Slowly opening her eyes, she shook her throbbing head and mulled over Baek Yu-seol’s words.

‘Cheollibeun’s weakness…’

He had indeed been pursuing Cheollibeun for a long time, and he had a better understanding of him than any other dark mage.

A unique contract holder of Damgaltoiwol, he was a fugitive who had survived after challenging the Dark Mage King.

‘Why would a wizard who isn’t even a dark mage chase after him…’

Baek Yu-seol was serious enough about hunting down Cheollibeun to go as far as to say she would personally join the battle.

‘Why?’

Baek Yu-seol was filled with questions. Was she really a wizard? Was she even human to begin with?

There was nothing she could ascertain.

However, that didn’t seem very important.

The only fact that mattered was that their goals seemed to align this time.

That was all she needed to think about.

“Soya~ Are you finally back?”

As the voice of a woman came from behind, Soya turned her stiff expression toward the source. There stood a woman dressed in an unusually revealing outfit that covered her entire body, which was quite ironic.

The woman walked elegantly, her light green robe fluttering, and whispered to Soya.

“I was sent by Toa. Recently, it seems like you’ve been acting recklessly… and she said she’s been itching to kill you.”

“…Did the Green Tower Master say that to me? Hah, that’s just ridiculous.”

Soya scoffed, but she couldn’t easily dismiss her words.

Toa Regron.

A Class 9 wizard and the Green Tower Master, her master was none other than the “Pure-blooded Witch King.”

In this world, it was extremely rare to inherit the bloodline of a “pure-blooded witch.”

Soya, being a half-witch, was closer to being human or a dark mage.

“There are now so few witches left in this world that you can count them on one hand, including you. No matter how much of a half-witch you are, she wouldn’t want to kill the last remaining witches with her own hands. So how about keeping a low profile for a while?”

No matter how strong a witch was, in the end, they were nearly wiped out by witch hunters and wizards.

So any conspicuous actions would quickly make them a target. Toa Regron’s master didn’t want that.

“Hah, how presumptuous for a wizard…”

“Huh, really?”

“Just mind your own business and go on your way. You might find yourself wanting to kill me.”

“Oh my, how scary~”

The woman exaggeratedly feigned surprise, waving her hand lightly as she turned to leave.

“I’m already on my way~ Lately, my master has taken an interest in a young man. What was his name? Baek Yu-seol, I think?”

“What?!”

“Eh? Have you heard of him?”

At the woman’s words, Soya momentarily reacted but then hesitated and shook her head.

“Huh. Anyway, I’m off now, so take care! Bye now~!”

After she left, Soya licked her lips and organized her thoughts.

‘That old hag is interested in him…?!’

For someone who had shown no interest in worldly matters, except for witches, the mere fact that she was keeping an eye on him was already proof that Baek Yu-seol was not ordinary.

‘He could definitely come in handy.’

Cheollibeun’s head.

And the spirit heart.

Thinking that all of this might fall into place, her smile deepened.

***

Thud!

“Cough……!”

He snapped the neck of a dark mage with both arms. Of course, doing so wouldn’t kill a dark mage.

To completely end their life, one had to pierce through their heart and destroy the source of their dark power.

Pshh!

As if swatting a mosquito with a fly swatter, Cheollibeun removed a dark mage’s heart barehanded with an indifferent expression.

“Haah~ That was quiet.”

He made sure to keep the dark power from leaking outside. He realized this time that fighting without unleashing his power was harder than he thought.

“Then maybe I can get away quietly this time?”

As he dusted off his hands, Cheollibeun mumbled.

“Who said you could?”

A young man’s voice echoed like an echo in the air.

That voice, which felt both familiar and annoyingly irritating, twisted Cheollibeun’s expression.

“…Who are you?”

Leisurely lifting his head to look at the sky, he found himself locking eyes with Mage Arumun, who was walking as if on transparent stairs in mid-air.

“I had a hard time looking for you. If those bugs hadn’t bothered you, I might have had a tougher time…”

His lethargic and laid-back voice bore a tone that made the listener drowsy, and it only served to irritate Cheollibeun further.

“Hah… Can’t I just pass this time? Are you really going to fight me here? I don’t mean to say this, but if the World Tree collapses completely, there will be innocent casualties.”

“I don’t care.”

This time, someone else answered.

Turning around quickly, he saw a woman draped in a black robe walking gracefully towards him.

‘The Elf King.’

He recognized it immediately.

Such a special and vivid aura of the World Tree could not belong to just anyone.

Even the World Tree itself wouldn’t be purer than that woman.

“The World Tree won’t be harmed.”

“…Well, that’s a bit troublesome. What brings the Elf King here? Surely, you’re not here to catch me?”

“That’s not a trivial reason, so don’t worry. You’re merely a task to handle on the way to my ‘very important business.'”

Flowerseorin did not seem genuinely pleased. Though he didn’t know what she meant by ‘very important business,’ the fact that he, a legendary being, was deemed less significant than it was quite shocking.

“I don’t deserve to be treated like this…”

What should he do?

Cheollibeun was keenly aware of the energies blocking him from both the Elf King and the Association President.

One was a Class 9 wizard.

The other was a high elf blessed by the World Tree.

Cheollibeun, no matter how strong he was to challenge the Dark Mage King, was likely to face difficulties.

‘But… I can’t avoid fighting.’

As he thought this, he found himself getting excited instead. Cheollibeun slowly stretched the corners of his mouth, revealing a creepy smile. It was a smile filled with pure, unadulterated ‘joy.’

“Alright… I was bored anyway, so it’s perfect. Come at me both.”

He cracked his wrists.

“Just be prepared to offer one of your heads.”

End of Chapter