Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 19
It's an old memory.
No, maybe not that old.
Just five years ago.
Five years feels like forever when you're in your mid-twenties, but when you look back, it doesn't seem so long. The memory still rises sharp and clear.
So clear that sometimes it chokes the breath right out of me.
"Lieutenant, there you are."
A raspy voice called from the end of the road.
I might have answered normally, but right then, I didn't feel like it.
No, I didn't trust myself to answer properly.
"Hey, Lieutenant. Cat got your tongue? If your ears are busted, why not head to the saintess for a check-up."
"...Since when was I a lieutenant?"
My words came out barbed.
A glimpse of the resentment bottled up inside. The old man shuffled toward me, dragging his aged body.
"As of today. Exactly forty minutes ago, to be precise."
"Do they hold promotions like that without the person involved?"
"Well, what choice is there? No one to announce it, no place to hold it."
"...Hah."
His tone was utterly nonchalant.
Mana flared out in all directions at the fact. Blade-sharp mana encircled the old man.
Wherever the keen mana touched objects, it sliced them clean.
It carved up the half-collapsed barracks caught in the bombardment and the charred trees like tofu. But it didn't touch the old man.
I ground my teeth until they felt like they'd shatter.
Even though that withered old heart had long gone cold, his honed senses and skills were as sharp as ever.
If he'd had that ability alone, they wouldn't have died so pointlessly on the battlefield. I resented the old man's brazen attitude.
"Lieutenant Baek, rein in your aura. I'm fine, but there are wounded nearby. Most soldiers can't handle your presence."
"...You're utterly shameless."
The old man spoke with an impassive face.
I had no desire to heed him, but I judged that my aura could harm the wounded, so I dispersed it.
It wasn't because of what he said.
I was just acting on my own principles.
"Since when did you care about your subordinates' well-being? Haven't you always treated them like chess pieces?"
"Lieutenant, watch your tongue. I get that you're angry, but use respectful language with superiors."
The badge on his chest gleamed.
It bore a single star.
The symbol of a major general.
The rank gap between lieutenant and major general was vast.
A normal lieutenant wouldn't dare meet his eyes.
"...Superior?"
But my case was different.
Who cared about rank.
This was a world where you could go from second lieutenant to lieutenant overnight.
There was no time, no place, no people for a proper ceremony.
I'd just learned about my own promotion moments ago. In a world like this, did rank even matter?
"Hey, old timer. Do you know why I haven't struck you down for insubordination?"
"..."
"Because I still felt like I needed you."
I pointed a finger straight at him.
It was the kind of rude gesture that should have infuriated him, but the old man couldn't muster a word.
Sweat trickled down his forehead. Not just a drop.
Like a bucket of water dumped over his head, sweat poured.
"I'm stronger than you. I have more achievements too. So why do you think someone like me is under you?"
It dwarfed the earlier aura.
Not mere angera sticky, profound killing intent.
The old man's battlefield-honed instincts screamed.
Run now. Flee to survive.
He'd never felt this sensation facing massive monsters or demon hordes.
"First, it was your connections."
The war had dragged on for decades.
Shorter than a century war, but the damage was unimaginable. Humanity had united for survival.
The front lines against demons sprawled across the world. Supplies were always short.
So I'd leaned on the old man's network.
A major general's connections meant no supply delays.
Indeed, I'd benefited greatly from them.
"Second, I trusted your experience and command skills."
As the war lengthened and casualties mounted, humanity lost sight of national borders and divisions. No room for picking sides between nations.
Thus, under the banner of the military state, armies unified into one system.
It was simpler and more reliable.
In that massive army, the old man had risen to major general.
His experience and command were long proven.
Even if time clouded his judgment, I believed his hell-forged experience was an iron fortress.
But that faith was betrayed.
"What do you even have left?"
The major general's connections?
His network was mostly contemporariespeople facing their heavenly mandate. Rotted rope, no different.
His experience and command?
Experience aplenty, but command was incompetent.
His tactics were mired in the past.
Because of that, countless soldiers and comrades died in vain.
Not heroic deaths.
Dog's deaths.
"Th-that wasn't my fault..."
"No. It was yours."
Intel that demons were moving through the valley terrain.
He trusted it without question because a trusted aide delivered it. He moved thousands of troops atop the valley, only realizing it was a trap in a flash.
As soldiers formed ranks, the valley collapsed suddenly.
Countless fell into the depths or were crushed by rocks.
Then demons emerged from the fissures.
Turned out the aide was a demon spy betraying humanity.
They'd been played by false intel.
Thousands massacred.
But there was still a chance. Hundreds of reversal heroes remained atop the collapsed valley.
Enough to buy time.
I'd been on an outpost mission with a detachment, taking just one sword, trusting they'd hold long enough.
But when I arrived
"nothing was left. Nothing."
All I found was the old man, clinging to outdated tactics, leading the remaining soldiers to dog's deaths. Everyone else was dead.
Some even sacrificed themselves to save their major general.
"You don't deserve it."
Shing. I drew my sword from my waist. The pristine white blade aimed at his brow.
I wanted to pierce that head full of rotten tactics.
No worry of insubordination charges.
The soldiers' trust was already mine, not his.
With my record and achievements, even military high command would overlook it.
In this ruined world, visible results trumped empty titles.
His achievements had faded long ago.
This was my era now.
Swish. I swung the sword gently. His badges and medals sliced clean off his chest.
I sheathed it and declared softly.
"White Sword Unit withdraws from Sector 14 battlefield effective now."
"...Where to?"
White Sword Unit.
The name of my detachment.
Leaving Sector 14 meant changing operational range.
It meant we'd never cross paths again. Impossible for normal units.
"Who knows."
Didn't matter to me.
A mere detachment? Its record outstripped entire battalions.
Military couldn't complain about White Sword Unit's movements.
In this crumbling world, personal grudges were worthless.
Only issue: no other suitable battlefield besides Sector 14.
It was vast. Moving elsewhere would take at least two weeks.
Grueling march ahead.
No set destination, but the direction was clear.
"To die."
In this ruined world, standing at the foremost line meant courting death.
Well, you'd die anyway without it. But I wouldn't let my unit die like dogs.
At least make our deaths meaningful.
I issued the order, packed up, and moved White Sword Unit.
The path was treacherous, demons ambushing from all sidesno proper sleepbut we reached another unit.
Days later.
Word came: the old man was dead.
Cause: killed in action.
As expected, surrounded by demon hordes, no body recovered.
Probably demon chow.
The next day, I was promoted to captain.
Lightning-fast, barely after lieutenant.
Reason: officer shortage.
Again, no ceremonyjust sudden notice.
What a dog's world.
* * *
I opened my eyes to daylight filtering in.
A long sleep, but no refreshment.
How much time had passed?
I brushed the dirt and ash from my butt and back.
Casual pats.
Ugh, pain wracked my whole body.
"...Feels like I'm gonna die."
Bones, skin, veins, jointsnothing intact.
Body felt like ground meat. I'd held up until passing out, but now it hurt like post-car crash.
Sun was up, yet no human presence.
After last night's chaos, it should be noisy by now.
Hardly any time passed?
I rummaged my pockets.
Meant to check my watch, but everything inside was wrecked. After that melee, nothing surviving made sense.
"My body's far from intact anyway."
Even standing was rough.
Leg joints and ankles broken, probably. I groped the wall with my barely functional left arm and shuffled.
Trembling.
Like a newborn fawn taking its first steps.
Not even a baby's wobbly first walk shook this bad.
Wounds reopened with every move, but no choice.
No phone, no passersbynot even a glimpse. No way to call 119 or contact outside.
"How is there not a soul on the street?"
Last night's attack explained evacuation, but the silence was eerie.
No screams, no demon roars, no ambulance or cop sirens. Not even birdsong at dawn.
A chilling feeling crept in.
I shook it off as nerves and quickened my pace. Pain twisted my body, but it was nothing now.
I hurried to the infirmary.
No one inside. But traces of medical supplies and gear hauled out.
'All rushed to shelters?'
With that thought, I headed to the shelter.
The path was bloodstained, but no time to care.
Anxiety churned my mindno one spotted on this main road.
No one outside the shelter.
Just in case, I glared.
My red eyes turned amethyst.
Woooong.
Artificial mana flows visible to the naked eye.
People.
"All inside the shelter..."
Phew, relief.
I knocked on the shelter door. In emergencies, it only opens from inside.
Who is it?
A tense, wary voice from beyond.
I swallowed a pained groan and forced a friendly tone.
"Baek Seung-woo, TA under Professor Nam Hwa-yeon. Could you open up?"
TA Baek Seung-woo? One moment, I'll check with the other TAs.
Footsteps dashed away as she finished.
I leaned against the wall briefly; footsteps approached, and the door opened.
"S-sorry. Did I open too late?"
"No, it's fine. You're a student."
The mature voice made me think another TA or guard.
Surprisingly, a female student. Frazzled uniform and badge indicated third-year.
Did I stare too hard at her uniform and badge?
She blushed under my gaze.
"Th-that look is too..."
"Ah, sorry. Didn't expect to meet a third-year in this mess."
No ulterior motive in staring.
Just curiosity. Chilseong Academy's third-yearsstrongest besides professors.
Prospects, sure.
But third-years weren't pushovers anywhere.
She could've handled the attack to some degree.
Why did it feel like first time seeing her?
Sensing my gaze, she murmured.
"My power's weak. Last night, I was sorting papers for friends instead..."
I got it.
Her presence was faint. An average first-year could beat her.
Not all third-years are strong. Plausible.
No need to pry furtherit'd be rudeso I changed topics.
"Do you know where the first-years are? I told ten students to head to the shelter hours ago."
"See those in uniforms to the right? Late evacuees are up front."
I thanked her and moved on.
To check on Kyle.
Curious about his state now.
No more awakening risk, but wanted one last look. Apologize for harsh words too.
'Hope I didn't hurt the kid's feelings.'
Truthful, but might've wounded young pride. Wanted to say sorry.
Two thousand students crammed; hard to spot Kyle. But spied Seo Ye-rin far off.
Splint on her leg, sleeping like a mouse.
Injured lined beside her.
Kyle hurt too, probably there.
"Oh, TA Baek Seung-woo?"
"...Ah, you're that guy from before."
Someone called my name; I turned. Ripped uniformthe boy I'd saved with Kyle.
"What brings you here? Work done already?!"
"...Work?"
What'd he mean?
Guards and TAs out hunting remaining demons? I tilted my head; he explained.
"Huh? Didn't know? Two hours ago, TAs went to fetch those not at the shelter."
"No aid from nearby guilds?"
"A- and B-rank guilds nearby entered dungeons two days ago. Perfect timing, huh..."
Nearby guilds in dungeons right then.
Novel logic. Timing like a scripted play.
...Wait.
Those not at the shelter?
I grabbed his shoulders.
"Students missing from the shelter?"
He startled but answered.
"S-sudden rescue request from academy outskirts via phone. Critical injuries, so even students got roped in."
I doubted my ears.
What'd he say?
'Sudden' request from academy 'outskirts'?
Critical injuries, so 'students' mobilized?
'...Students mobilized?'
Too contrived, like bad scripting. I denied the rising thought and forced words out.
"Names! The students mobilizedwhat're their names?!"
"Ah, you'd know him too. My friend Kyleusually weak, but suddenly his aura changed and..."
"Damn it all!"
I bolted from the shelter.
Didn't care about his weird look.
Leg pain agonizing, but no stopping for this. Low stats held me back enough.
Grit through it.
I sprinted to the outskirts.
Academy grounds vast; outskirts took most area.
How to find students in this expanse?
Why TAs took Kyle for that.
"...Wasn't it all over?"
I'd eliminated every variable.
High-hierarchy demons targeting protagonist's friends, attack masterminds.
All dead by my hand.
What was this?
I ran blindly.
Pushing my abused body further, nearly fainted.
Each time, body screams woke me like alarms.
How far did I run?
Body growing heavy, mind fading.
Thena scent.
"...!"
Blood's metallic tang hit my nose.
Unmistakable: blood and corpses.
I headed there.
Praying he lived. Like me, bleeding out but alive.
Arrived at a remote forest.
Cursed Woodsoff-limits to non-authorized. Even I, a TA, couldn't enter freely.
Right therefaint breathing: whoosh.
Sign of life.
Access forbidden? Irrelevant now. I plunged into the cursed woods without hesitation.
"...What the hell?"
I couldn't believe my eyes.
Towering trees blanketed the forest.
One massive evergreen stood out.
Like pine or firperfect for Christmas trees.
Maybe that's why.
Despite March past Christmas, decorations hung everywhere.
Guts dangling like ribbonswho knew whose.
Colorful mana residues glowed like lights, leaking from chest cavities.
Not all.
Replacing winter snow, ashes from plants I'd burned piled up.
Organs festooned the tree.
Late March.
An early Christmas arrived.
One that stole students' lives.
Far too early a Christmas.