Chapter 72
Chapter 72
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 72
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B- and C-rank skills are rare.
However, rarity alone isn't enough to create a meaningful variable in combat situations.
Especially if that battle is against an S-rank demon.
Even A- or S-rank skills struggle to produce variables against an S-rank demon.
Where would there be mana to invest in mere B- or C-rank skills...?
But here it is.
Bloodsucking
Rank: B
Description: One of the legacies of the ancient race, vampires. Worn down by the winds of time, its utility has dropped several levels, but its essence remains unchanged. Bloodsucking is the foundation and instinct of vampires. Through this ability, you will gradually come to understand blood.
*Blood Drain
Absorbs blood from others and steals the mana within it. The fresher the blood, the higher the quality of mana absorbed.
*Hemophilia
Infects the bloodsucked target with hemophilia, preventing their blood from clotting. This keeps the opponent in a state of continuous bleeding, providing advantages in various ways.
Bloodsuckinga skill that absorbs mana through blood and keeps the opponent in a state of continuous bleeding.
Thanks to the title "Vampire's Heir," the former ability could be activated on pooled blood on the floor without needing to suck directly.
However, the latter required the explicit condition of a "bloodsucked target."
Hmm, this one's a total dud.
Forget bringing my mouth to filthy skineven jamming fangs into the veins of a fiercely fighting opponent?
How often would there be a chance to use this in combat?
If not for the title that allowed using Bloodsucking on pooled blood without direct sucking, it would have been a complete white elephant skill.
Black Mist
Rank: C
Description: One of the legacies of the ancient race, vampires. Worn down by the winds of time, its utility has dropped several levels, but its essence remains unchanged. Vampires' bodies do not yield to blades. Black mist flows from their wounds, sealing them and erasing the damage as if it never happened. Wielding such authority, expecting that level of efficiency would be greed.
*Thick Fog
A dense black mist blankets everything. The fog disrupts vision, presence, and mana.
'This seems more useful than Bloodsucking, actually.'
Disrupting vision, presence, and mana won't work on opponents above a certain level.
But the more mana poured in, the wider and thicker the Black Mist would spread.
If I dumped about thirty percent of my mana into it, I could fool even Dorudo's senses, S-rank demon that he was.
And that thirty percent could be replenished by simply sucking up the overflowing blood on the floor.
But the role of this skill didn't end there.
Black Mist was a simple skill for manipulating mist, but mist is a phenomenon formed by water vapor condensing in the air.
This also meant it could interfere with water attributesthe complete opposite of my affinity.
This is a C-rank skill?
Under the premise of overflowing mana, its versatility rivals an A-rank skill.
But my proficiency was still zero.
First, I drew the recovered mana into a barrage of flames to grab his attention.
Fox Fire
Cursed flames tightened around his body.
Starting with simple curses like auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, and poisoning, they began to spread bit by bit.
As proof, Dorudo's skin started necrotizing purple in patches. But the necrotic areas didn't grow beyond large blotches.
What the hell? I poured twenty percent of my mana inwhy isn't the curse spreading?
For a moment, I panicked at this unfamiliar situation, but Dorudo boldly provided the hint.
"Ticklish. A curse from a skill, huh. Such clichd curses can't even grab my ankle!"
Curse resistance.
Dorudo possessed that extremely rare constitution.
Whether it was gained upon becoming a demon or innate, it was clear that Fox Fire held little meaning in the current situation.
This was a first.
To think I'd encounter an opponent resistant to either the "flame" or "curse" components of Fox Fire.
Complete counters to me.
If this were me before the auction, I might have been helpless against him. Even if I won, I'd likely suffer permanent loss of a limb.
In that sense, this fight was lucky for me.
I'd just acquired new tools, after all.
The first real test would be a bit unpolished, but let's give it a shot.
Suuuuu...
Water droplets gathered around me.
The damp droplets spread wide, transforming into thick fog.
Maybe because it was a dark underground space.
Dorudo, at the center of the smoke, vaguely felt the mist was black. But more striking to him was the massive scope of the fog filling every direction.
"Water magic of this scale without any water?!"
"Why wouldn't there be water? It's pooled everywhere."
"...No way?!"
Dorudo's gaze dropped to the floor.
The floor, soaked with demon and human corpses.
The blood that had squelched stickily underfoot, assaulting the ears with every stepit was gone. As if it had all evaporated.
Only then did Dorudo realize the true nature of the black mist enveloping him.
"My mana senses are scrambled. And with sounds coming from everywhere, pinpointing location is impossible even with all five senses. A skill?"
"Yeah, one I just got."
"Ha! Fog's nothingjust dispel it."
From within the fog that appeared reddish-black at a glance, Dorudo swung his fist wide.
No matter how vast the fog.
Ultimately, it was water vapor.
What could a pyromancer do with steam?
With that thought, he acted without hesitation.
A terribly complacent move.
If he'd realized this was a mana-formed skill, he should have protected himself first.
Just before the black mist surrounding Dorudo was pushed back by the wind from his fist.
Sssshing!
A high-speed blade sliced Dorudo's wrist.
Shock colored his face in an instant.
"...Huh?"
What?
Sword control with qi?
No. For a bladed weapon, the cut is too clean. No metallic clang either.
Then an elemental bladewind, perhaps?
A demon wouldn't die from a severed wrist.
This much could be regenerated in seconds with self-healing.
But only if he stayed alive. With a high-speed blade that could target his throat or heart at any moment.
The scales tipped toward Seung-woo.
"...No way."
Dorudo, demoted from predator to prey.
His mind, leading the Korean branch of the demon collective , was no slouch.
It was just that his fighting style was brute fist-swinging brawling.
His mental agility and situational awareness were top-notch.
He reached his hand toward the mist.
Black mist formed from gathered water vapor.
As he placed his finger on it.
Slice!
His finger severed in an instant.
A perfectly clean cut.
The same as what had sliced his wrist moments ago.
"Ha, condensing the mist with mana and applying pressure to shoot water pressure blades, huh."
No answer came.
But Dorudo was certain his guess was correct.
Powerful water pressure that could slice steel plates.
To Dorudo, the vast fog was now a battlefield of blades.
The drifting mist seemed to whisper, "I wonder if your body is tougher than steel?"
And it was.
I was prepared to cut through even if his bones were steel-hard with water pressure.
'Even if tougher than steel.'
If tougher than steel, just ramp up the pressure.
Treating the mist like a high-pressure hose harder than steel required no small amount of mana. Even with ample mana, it wasn't easy.
But I had no choice but to make it work.
Large-scale flame magic or Fox Fire would endanger too many civilians, and in this sealed underground, oxygen would run short.
Telekinesis via Pyrokinesis was too unskilled on my part. Controlling this vast space with psychokinesis alone was near impossible.
If I were Professor Nam Hwa-yeon, maybe.
Above all, Dorudo's skin boasted high flame resistance. My flames couldn't pierce it yet.
Flame magic was half-sealed.
Firing anything less precise and intense was pointless.
It'd just burn up precious oxygen for nothing.
Hence, Black Mist.
Proficiency was low, but with experience from countless battlefields over long years, there was potential.
"Never thought I'd have to go this far."
That was before he wrapped himself in black demonic energy.
Dorudo, who had lost his wrist to the powerful water pressure, underwent a drastic transformation.
Into a form impervious to water pressure.
"Come at me! Your water pressure won't touch a single hair now."
"...Wow, going full transformation too."
Man, I couldn't help but admire Dorudo.
For a near-perfect counter immune to flames and curses. Now transforming on top?
No conscience at all.
Not that I expected any from a demon who abandoned humanity.
But there's a line.
Dorudo, armed with massive horns and black armor, crossed it completely. If this were soccer, the ref might be too scared to call fouleven take a hit.
"Yeah, my skills alone won't cut it."
"If you get that, die quietly!!"
The armored Dorudo blew away the mist with triumphant momentum.
The water pressure blades bounced off his armor before reaching flesh or bone. Damn, tough as hell.
Without that armor, I'd have the edge.
Feeling regret, a brilliant idea flashed.
If he's geared up in armor, why not gear up myself?
Just before Dorudo fully cleared the mist, I ripped open the remaining chests under the manager.
The poison herbs' effects hadn't worn off yet.
My mind, analyzing the situation via Magic Saint genius without pain interference, derived the optimal choice again.
It was...
"Hah? What're those scrawny, grotesque hands? Begging for mercy?"
"Hands too ugly, so decorating with rings."
"Wait, those rings on your fingerswhat the...?!"
Item power.
[You have equipped 'Ring of Prolificacy.']
[Stamina increases by two stages!]
[You have equipped 'Choir Earrings.']
[Durability increases by two stages!]
[You have equipped 'Andvari's...!]
...
[You have equipped 'Ring of the Great.' Durability stats sacrificed by two stages, Stamina increases by three stages!]
[You have equipped 'Ring of Oath.' Leading with the oath of 'Undefeated,' senses increase by one stage!]
[If you tolerate even a single defeat, the 'Ring of Oath' will eternally blur your senses by one stage per the oath.]
I equipped nine rings, earrings, and a necklace.
The moment I donned the billions-worth auction items, my body felt much lighter and tougher than before.
Not quite my prime, even with this spending spree. But plenty enough to kill the armored pig before me.
I slipped my gloves back on to keep the rings from slipping.
In the meantime, fragments and powder of the killing stones scattered on the floor caught my eye.
Oh, what a waste.
If only there was a way to use them.
Blow the powder into the air and ignite with Fox Fire for a dust explosion? As I seriously pondered while touching the powder and shards.
Infusing pressure into water to wield it as a high-speed blade. Hmm, not a bad idea, but the method's wrong. The formula's needlessly elongated.
A voice suddenly called to me.
Too vivid to dismiss as hallucination.
An old expression, but like the voice of a yangban noble's fox spirit.
Face is decent, but skills are lacking. Got a talent perfect for fireplay, but can't handle it. Don't you know flames and curses need clear vessels and costs? That's not how you do it.
...Yeah, someone's calling me, right?
What's with the long-winded coaching.
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