Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 14
An explosion artificially triggered using Pyrokinesis.
It tore up the earth's surface in an instant. But it wasn't enough to seriously damage the tough hide of a high-hierarchy monster.
However, with its center of gravity already off-balance, toppling it was possible.
'This guy's stronger than I thought.'
Its skull must have been badly shaken from the fall just moments ago.
Yet the creature stared at me impassively with its massive eyes.
At the same time, the mounting pressure squeezing my body made it clear.
This thing was on a whole different level from the monsters I'd killed up until now.
'High-hierarchy monsters really are different.'
Monsters are classified from 10th hierarchy to 1st based on their power and danger level.
This hierarchy system is quite fluid. Since humans assign it arbitrarily, some monsters' rankings shift frequently.
A prime example is goblins.
Individually, they're mere 9th-hierarchy pests, but due to their pack-hunting nature and the risk of them raping humans to reproduce, they've been classified as 7th hierarchy at times.
Hierarchies can change based on perspective like that, but from a certain point onward, they rarely shift.
That point is the 5th hierarchy, the hallmark of high-hierarchy monsters.
'It's the dividing line between low and high in the ten hierarchies.'
From 5th hierarchy on, they're tricky opponents.
They wield abilities called Fear, and many possess intelligence equal to or surpassing humans.
This monster in front of me undoubtedly had considerable smarts.
"...Is it because it's dark? I can barely see it."
A few days ago, I'd read papers on monster types and traits just in case.
Thanks to that, I thought I knew most monsters. But I had no idea what this one was.
If it had a distinctive appearance, maybe, but its massive silhouette was the only visible feature.
There weren't supposed to be giant monsters like this swarming around.
"Whoa..."
As I stared at the fallen creature, lost in thought.
Something enormous swung at my head.
It was the monster's forepaw.
The attack from its huge body was shockingly swift, belying its size.
Even with my sluggish agility, I barely dodged.
"A massive build with quick forepaws. A monster intelligent enough to toy with human lives..."
That attack brought thirty-seven candidates to mind.
But digging deeper, it didn't match anything I knew. An undocumented monster?
Boom, boom. The monster unleashed a barrage of body slams using its bulk.
These weren't dodgeable anymore, so I ignited flames.
The flame barrier crumbled under one forepaw strike, proving single-use, and the fiery thorns and spears failed to pierce its tough hide.
It was merely buying a fleeting moment.
But that brief time was enough to discern its true nature.
My keen senses gathered the info.
It was a monster I'd read about in papers.
As I raised my head while blocking the heavy assault, the giant monster loomed over me.
Looking down like a predator eyeing prey.
It was deeply unpleasant.
"...A monkey, of all things."
"...!"
The monster flinched violently at my mutter.
So I was right.
That massive body wasn't its true form. It was just an illusion.
'That's why reading papers isn't the same as real experience.'
5th hierarchy, Illusion Monkey.
A vicious monster that uses illusions to deceive and corner people. Its raw power is low-hierarchy, but its illusion abilities elevate it to high-hierarchy.
The papers said it simply deludes foes with illusions, but experiencing it firsthand, its power went beyond mere deception.
Not just the giant formthe forepaw smashing the ground was part of the illusion too.
"Most students would be helpless against this."
Luckily, my S-rank senses picked up the eerie dissonance, or I'd have been in trouble.
A slight mistake could have endangered hundreds of students.
Caaaaw!
Irritated that I'd seen through it, the monster let out its signature monkey screech.
No more hiding its true nature, apparently.
A black shadow fell over my head. The giant monster's forepaw.
And not just that.
From front, back, left, rightmassive paws assaulted from all directions.
An attack allowing no retreat. Even knowing they were illusions, I felt a crisis. One might be real.
Right then.
My eyes turned violet. In the darkness, the shimmering purple irises gleamed coldly.
Without a single blink, I glanced sideways.
There, a monkey-sized creature swung its arm.
Not a giant forepaw.
A human-sized monkey's hand.
I dodged sideways before it touched me. Simultaneously, flames erupted where I'd stood.
The monster's eyes, engulfed in fire, showed clear panic.
Honestly, I was flustered too.
I hadn't expected to use this ability in real combat for the first time.
Demon Eye
Rank: A
Description: One of the yokai powers originating from legends across the East. It allows the user to see what was previously invisible, establishing a new field of vision. Ancient forgotten races are said to have accumulated spiritual wisdom through it.
* Spirit Eye
Observes mana flows and spiritual concepts.
* Gap Detection
Enhances vision to perceive invisible 'gaps' in objects or targets.
Unlike Double Helix, a skill I'd had since possessing this body.
I'd wanted to test it during daily dawn training but held back due to unease. I could barely handle C-rank Double Helix, so controlling an A-rank seemed impossible.
And that hunch was spot on.
'It shows too much, even if it's clear...'
The world revealed by Demon Eye was achromatic.
A realm of only white and black. The sole alien hue was the blue of mana.
I could see every movement of the blue mana. That alone overloaded my cognition.
Then seeing 'gaps' too made my eye veins burst.
A-rank skills were indeed on another level.
Comparing it to Double Helix felt unfair. Suppressing the eye-bursting pain, I glared at the burning monkey ahead.
Violet eyes pierced truth from falsehood.
True and false, invisible to the naked eye, were distinguished. The monster desperately rolled on the ground.
Flailing to extinguish the flames on its body. A stark contrast to the giant illusion still terrifying students.
Ha, a sneer escaped my lips.
"Students dying to a punk like this?"
Pathetic trigger for the protagonist's awakening.
No more wasting time on it. I shaped a long flame spear.
Pfshk. The sound echoed in the monster's heart.
Its body cooled rapidly. With its heart ruptured, circulation haltedthat was natural.
Grraa... Grrk!
The monster let out a pitiful death rattle.
Even 5th-hierarchy couldn't endure a bursting heart.
But I wasn't done.
I raised the flame spear. This time targeting the spine.
The tough bone resisted slicing, but the blazing heat melted it.
Sensing its limit, the monster shrieked.
Heee, hih... Keeeek!
A wretched, pathetic scream.
Hard to believe it was the same monster toying with students' lives. I turned to the students.
They all stared at me and the monkey.
Heart and spine damaged, it lacked strength to maintain the illusion. Still alive after a shattered spine, though.
I needed to finish it properly.
That moment.
Through its blurry vision, the monster saw a fiend.
It was the monster itself, yet it felt indescribable dread from the foe.
Blurred sight merged black hair and clothes with the night sky long ago. In the monster's eyes, only a pair of amethyst eyes sparkled.
Violet irises devoid of emotion.
Trembling in terror, it exhaled its last lungful of air.
As instinct foretold doom and it tried a final death cry.
Scorching flames sharpened into a spear and slit its throat.
"...Finally dead."
Slicing the throat burst blood forth.
The spear's heat instantly vaporized it, burning fiercely as if leaving no trace.
Cruel handiwork.
But clean.
As the monkey hide fully charred, coins clinked on the ground. Bending down, it wasn't coins but a blackened stone.
"...Oh right, forgot to collect the magic stone."
Monsters contain magic stones inside.
A key resource in this world, main income for players. Stronger monsters drop better quality.
A 5th-hierarchy one should fetch a good price.
I pocketed the magic stone.
Sell it later or use as magic catalyst.
"...T-Ta, TA sir?"
"Hm?"
As I dusted soot from the stone and pocketed it.
Students approached. I hadn't noticed during the fight, but there were more than expected.
Including injured kids supported by others, ten total.
All but one were fated to die.
Scratching my head in annoyance.
"Th-thank you... H-how should we repay you?"
"Kids shouldn't talk like that. No need for repaymenthead to the shelter now."
"B-but what about you, sir...?"
"C-come with us! What if we run into another monster on the way...!"
"No, I have somewhere to be."
The students trembled.
Some maturely offering repayment, others terrified of the monster.
How did I end up in this world?
I bent down and stroked the hair of the girl at the front.
The one who'd fallen earlier, covered in dirt. Brushing it off. She blushed at the sudden touchgirlish for her age.
How can they force kids this young to fight?
A fundamental question about this world.
Academy genres are like that, but these were still children, not even adults.
Sending kids with much to learn into slaughter.
No big deal in the novel, but experiencing it firsthand pissed me off. Maybe because I was a child soldier.
"You all run. I need to catch the mastermind behind this."
"Y-you can wait for guild support...!"
"No. It'll be too late."
In the original, the raid leader 'Mage Hunter' flees upon witnessing the protagonist's awakening. Seeing the 5th-hierarchy monster shatter instinctively spooked him.
But saving students nixed the awakening.
I botched the scenario big time.
Protagonist stays incompetent, culprit won't flee.
Oh well. My choice.
'I planned to take responsibility from the start.'
I resolved on the rooftop.
To witness students dying and bear responsibility for my choice.
Just the bearer changed.
"Head that waythere's a path. I cleared it running, so don't worry."
"Th-then we'll ask the guards or other TAs for help!"
"No need for helpjust go."
"B-but...!"
"Hey, No Yu-ra! Let's go. He has things to do."
I politely refused the girl whose hair I'd brushed.
Grateful, but others wouldn't help. They'd just be baggage.
'Mage Hunter' was that kind of guy.
Of course, more people would boost my survival odds.
My safety mattered.
But so did my convictions.
As long as I don't die.
'Mid-boss only caught mid-story in the original.'
Facing 'Mage Hunter' wasn't easy.
He hadn't turned full villain yet, so possible, but no cakewalk.
Still, I'd do it.
Even if it blocks protagonist's awakening and I shoulder all blame.
'I'll survive.'
Like my battlefield days.
I'll survive this too.
Turning to head high ground, someone grabbed my sleeve.
Looking back, a student who could barely stand. Limpinghit a wall by the monster earlier.
The boy, bleeding from mouth with a sickly sweet smell, spoke strainedly.
"M-me too..."
What did he want?
Curiosity drew my eyes to his name tag.
Dirt obscured the name, but the faint silhouette dazed me.
"...I... I want to f-fight too."
This was him.
Unusually long name tag.
Faintly: Kyle Iris. The protagonist's name.
'...Protagonist's spirit, huh.'
Protagonist Kyle wasn't fit to fight.
Wall crash caused major injury. Even at full strength, useless now.
"No, run with your friends."
"...I c-can fight too. If I get in the way, just leave me. So let me...!"
"That's not it."
Kyle clamped his mouth at my firm reply.
His fists trembled.
Cold from blood loss? Or ashamed of weakness?
Didn't care to know.
So I stated firmly.
"You won't help. You're in the wayrun with your friends."
"...B-but even someone like me!"
"Hey, Kyle, what are you doing to our savior?!"
"Sorry! We'll head out now!"
Students dragged Kyle by arms.
He resisted stubbornly, but injured body couldn't manage. I turned away again.
Behind, Kyle's blood-mixed voice.
"E-even someone like me is an academy student...! I can fight!"
"B-blood's coming out! To the infirmary quick!"
"Infirmary open now?! Health teacher's at shelterhurry!"
Was the protagonist this righteous?
Fleeting doubt, but no time.
"...While friends die around you, you claim you can fight when you can't do shit?"
Harsh, but had to drive it home.
Ignoring Kyle's voice from behind, I continued.
"Kid, students get help from adults. Use this chancerun with friends. Your skills won't save anyone anyway."
Cruel truth.
Current protagonist saves no one.
Unless he awakens.
'I already ruined the scenario. Pointless what-if.'
I didn't know his backstory well.
Never read the novelonly from Eve's mentions.
All I knew: no more protagonist awakening.
No frontline for him, no losing friends before his eyes.
He'd remain a student.
A world without a protagonist.
How would this chaotic world turn out?
Ridiculous question.
I'd shoulder the role entirely.
Kyle's opinions didn't matter there.
Nothing more precious than human lives here.
As thoughts deepened.
No more sounds behind.
All headed to shelter.
Turning confirmed Kyle gone.
Then a blue window in my retina.
[Main Quest: Responsibility]
[Description: You saved the students' lives and nullified the protagonist's awakening. You chose morality over the ending. Whether this was right remains to be seen.
But before watching, you must bear the protagonist's weight. In this twisted scenario, slay the 'Mage Hunter' who infiltrated Chilseong Academy to protect the freshmen.]
[Success: Agility +1 rank]
[Failure: Agility +1 rank]
*Your choice changes nothing!
It had shifted from 'Sub Quest' to 'Main Quest'.
Now it hit: my actions' weight.
I stood at this scenario's center.
By shoving the protagonist aside.
Haa, stomach ached.
Sighing in frustration, hand in pocket.
Felt something hard.
The magic stone from earlier.
Any use for it?
Then a good idea.
I tossed the stone down and used it as a magic catalyst.
This stone would now bait and trap the prey.
Prep done, I hid in nearby brush.
Held breath, stilled movements, erased presence. Ten minutes later, the hunter appeared.
He eyed the bait on the ground immediately.
Now, time for the hunter to become prey.
Gazing at the man's back, I muttered lowly.
"What a pain in the ass..."
Five years post-discharge, body still remembered army days. No good memories, but undeniable they shaped me.
...Why veterans suffer PTSD.
Unforgettable memories and experiences.
Crouched, recalling child soldier days, I moved swiftly. No sound even on dry twigs or stones.
Stealthy and silent like a seasoned assassin.
Instantly seized the enemy's rear.
Poured A+ rank mana full force into flames.
Flames warming the chill night air targeted the intruder's neck.
Pyrokinesis
Double Helix
My best strike now.
The trap on the ground resonated with my mana.
Flames with mass and form amplified by Double Helix resonance, birthing a massive wave of fire.
Billowing inferno engulfed the man.
"...Didn't think it'd do meaningful damage."
Man emerged calmly from the blaze.
No damage apparent.
Clothes slightly singed at best.
Not even sure.
"Should I run now?"
Sighing, I cast the backup spell.
Breath short, but manageable.
Just a bit longer.
Hand upward.
Pyrokinesis
Fire Arrow
Barrage of fire arrows streaked like sunset across the night sky.
The volley followed preset paths, crashing down and shattering the ground.