Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Magic Duel (2)
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Arin's heart pounded wildly.
Heat rose to her head, and overheated breaths leaked from her mouth.
She wasn't a fool.
Though she had only lived for 15 years, most of it confined in a sealed room.
'I know everything. I know it all.'
During that time, she had read countless books.
Wandering the library, she explored and experienced diverse worlds in the universe.
Her judgment was young but never childish.
"Professor Silvia."
D-class professor.
She was someone who had once, however faintly, stood against Andrew.
So there was no ill feeling toward her in Arin's memory.
"You know it too. Why Professor Hoon said what he did, why he kept me locked up here."
"......"
In Arin's mind surfaced the image of Professor Hoon, the black-haired man smiling calmly.
A single ray of light in her difficult days.
The thought that light was about to go out made her heart ache sharply.
'For my sake alone. To uphold his conviction as my supervising professor.'
The man who staked his life against the four great families.
Arin didn't want to lose him.
"You have to stop it. If I don't go, the professor will definitely die."
Arin stared at Silvia with a serious expression.
The intensity from a mere 15-year-old girl made the adult Silvia flinch.
"The only ones who can stand against the Patrick family are people from the other four great families."
Whoosh!
Flames sprouted again from Arin's pale palm.
"Though it's feeble... I can now use magic, and the head of our family, Eloise, is someone who cares deeply about his public reputation."
She was the discarded child of a fallen family.
Yet he always invited her to regular gatherings and even gave her a 'pat' card.
It was surely due to Duke Eloise's personality, overly conscious of others' gazes.
"So if I step forward to block it... we might be able to save the professor."
Even if it failed.
Even if it cost her life.
She couldn't just sit idly by.
'Yeah.'
Honestly, she wanted to burn down the magic tower.
Become a library ghost alone, study the forbidden books.
And based on those spells, destroy this filthy magic world.
A world where power equaled authority.
She wanted to create a world where everyone could be happy.
'But.'
Now, she didn't care about that anymore.
A person like Professor Hoon had approached her.
In a world with even one such person.
'No need to destroy it.'
To save him, Arin thought she could give everything she had.
"Do you really want the professor to die?"
"......"
Silence fell.
Silvia's lips twitched.
She couldn't find a proper rebuttal to Arin's bold words.
'I...'
Silvia frowned.
'I don't want Professor Hoon to die.'
The man who came to her lab every day and gave her ramen.
Beyond that.
A person who could boldly stand against the strong for the weak.
Though she herself had been broken.
He seemed so solid, unbreakable.
'Wait.'
Suddenly, Silvia thought the situation felt strangely off.
'Come to think of it, why am I even stopping Arin?'
Professor Hoon was going to die soon anyway.
For someone about to die, she didn't have to grant any favors, right?
"Professor, there's no time."
Arin, sensing Silvia's change, urged her desperately.
Silvia nodded without realizing it.
"R-Right. Magic tower 20th floor, was it?"
"Yes, hurry!"
"Got it."
It was the moment the two women, who had been arguing, simply joined forces.
* * *
- I-It happened in an instant!
- Professor Hoon's vine neutralized all of Andrew Patrick's attacks and even bound him!
- Ah, no way! Is a 'surrender' declaration coming like this?
'Who decided that.'
Once the duel began.
And now that I knew a 'duel' meant staking our lives.
I couldn't let it end so easily.
'Four great families or their grandpas.'
I always made those who targeted my life pay the price.
That was my creed.
['Sealed Spirit of the Seven Essences (4/7)' activates.]
[Essence of Fire effect obtained.]
[Fire energy intensifies.]
Fwoosh, fwoosh!
From the condensed Fire Ball, vines extended like whips this time.
If 'magic' was rigidly fixed by spells.
'Shamanism' allowed transforming that energy.
Of course, not just anyone could.
For some reason, it required the aid of divine-slaying grade weapons.
- W-What is this now! What kind of magic is that?!
- Dozens of fire vines burst from Professor Hoon's center, striking Andrew Patrick!
- Is this really a new professor?!
Andrew, dangling and struggling, had eyes wide as saucers.
Sizzle, sizzzz!
The writhing fire vines lightly scorched his body.
"Argh, aaaargh!"
Amid smoke thick with heat, Andrew screamed wildly.
"You bastard! Let me down, let me down right now! Wanna die?!"
"Let you down? Sure, I'll let you down."
I released the Grow Hold bindings by manipulating the energy.
Whoosh!
Andrew lost balance and fell.
Thud.
I hurled an 「Energy Bolt」 at his face.
Another basic spell I'd learned from Arin.
This one was null attribute, so no transforming it.
Splat!
The concise Energy Bolt struck dead center on Andrew's face.
With the acceleration of the fall snapping his head back.
Crash!
He tumbled across the floor.
Tap.
I tapped my staff again.
This time, ten 「Energy Bolts」 floated in the air.
"Kekeke, you brat. Can't use a club, so using those instead?"
The watching old man chuckled.
'Yes, especially this one needs a good beating.'
Whoosh! Shoo-shoo-whoosh!
The 「Energy Bolts」 flew under my control, embedding one after another into Andrew's pressure points as he lay sprawled.
The most painful ones the old man always poked.
"Grgh, grraaagh! Graaaagh!"
Andrew screamed in agony, unable even to resist.
- I-Incredible!
- Overwhelming! It's utterly overwhelming.
- That... basic of basic magics... Energy Bolt, right?
- Seems like... Professor Hoon.
- The skill gap is so terrifying it's a mismatch...?
The excited announcer's voice quieted.
Murmur murmur.
The spectators below began voicing concerns.
"...He's pretty strong. But this is worrying. The Patrick family won't stay quiet."
"Andrew Patrick is impressive for a student... Was there a professor like that in the tower?"
"That's not a new professor; that's mid-tier or elder level."
"Not quite elder, but solid mid-tier."
Whatever people said.
Whoever muttered.
My hands didn't change.
Thud, tap!
If anything, I increased the Energy Bolts, continuing to pummel Andrew.
About a minute passed like that.
"You fool."
It was then the old man's intrigued gaze darkened.
"Be careful."
Swoosh!
Suddenly, a sinister energy flew from afar.
So stealthy, I never would have noticed without the old man's warning.
"......!"
The direction: upper spectator seats.
Where the Patrick nobles sat.
Swish!
I instinctively stepped on the shadow to evade.
Though it was a 'magic'-only game, I couldn't dodge that attack otherwise.
'So it finally starts?'
"One of those bastards is up to something."
'...Appearance really is science.'
I'd expected their intervention from the start.
"It's going to get rough. You confident?"
'Not a matter of confidence.'
This was war.
And.
Since the opponent broke the rules first.
I had no intention of following them blindly.
* * *
"Urk!"
Andrew was flustered.
The new professor he should have obviously beaten in front of countless spectators.
Was stronger than expected.
It was humiliating.
Infuriating.
A professor from some rural noble house.
Calling him a 'brat' with eyes full of contempt.
Normally, he'd pierce his heart with a Water Spear.
Boom! Kwang! Boom!
The relentless pressure of mana didn't even allow movement.
"Argh, aaaargh!"
And it hurt.
It hurt way too much.
It felt like a spell made just for torture.
"Th-That... Aagh!"
Even trying to scream 'surrender' in desperation.
Energy Bolts pounding his mouth prevented speech.
"Brat."
The new professor's voice brimmed with intimidation.
"Your eyes say you still don't know your mistake."
"......"
"Act like a student. Defying a professor. Ah, is it because Patrick's a thug family by nature?"
"......!"
The whispers amid the magical assault.
Made Andrew's heart rage madly.
Furious but unable to curse.
Wanting to fight back, but body unresponsive—utter frustration.
That moment.
- Pathetic fool.
"......!"
A familiar voice rang in Andrew's ears.
He instinctively turned to the upper seats.
There he was.
The iron-blooded family head staring coldly.
Magor Patrick.
- I said fight duels you can win.
'But...!'
Andrew felt wronged.
Who knew a rural new professor had such skill?
- I'll help somehow, so don't lose.
- Remember. Our invincible Patrick has never lost in magic tower history.
"......!"
That instant.
Immense mana waves surged into his body like a tsunami.
Vast water attribute energy revitalized him, purifying wounded skin.
Moreover.
Ping! Pong!
It began casually deflecting the new professor's spells.
'Good.'
Andrew inwardly cheered.
He knew better than anyone.
His family head, Duke Magor, was the magic tower's second-in-command, excluding Tower Lord Gospelheim.
With the family head's aid.
That arrogant new professor was done for.
'Time to end this.'
Andrew hastily regained balance, stood, and raised his staff.
Channeling the surging energy.
He summoned Water Spears into the sky.
Splash, splaaash!
With a crystalline water sound, the number this time: fourteen.
Twice as many as before.
"Professor bastard. Try talking shit again... Huh?"
Andrew, smirking viciously to attack, wore a strange expression.
Swish!
The professor's near-teleport speed was secondary.
What he held wasn't a staff, but some blood-red club.
"Wh-What, whaaat?!"
The professor gave no time to panic.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, the club swung.
Baaam!
With a massive impact, it slammed into Andrew's abdomen.
The whole thing took just one second.
"Guh, guhuk?!"
Andrew's body floated up, breath catching.
Organs crushed, vision whitening, breathing impossible.
Tears streamed from eyes, drool from mouth.
Into his ears pounded the professor's stern voice.
"Professor bastard? Fine. Let's beat some sense into you until you wake up."