Chapter 142: Practical Combat 11
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 142: Practical Combat 11
While I was training Sepia and teaching her Betzdo’s attack patterns, I wasn't exactly sitting around twiddling my thumbs.
For starters, I kept up with the physical conditioning I did every morning, and I even learned a bit of swordsmanship from Johanna. Learning from her really drove home just how much I’d been swinging my sword however the hell I felt like until now.
—Loki, this is serious.
When it’s Johanna saying that, you know it’s bad.
I tried acting like I was deeply wounded by her words, but she just ended up getting sulky. It was actually pretty cute watching her try to cheer me up when she thought she’d genuinely hurt my feelings.
Anyway, after hanging out with Johanna, I spent the morning getting thrashed by Professor Elicia alongside the other Special Class kids. Then, after finishing my afternoon classes, I headed to the faculty office during the break.
"Knock, knock. It’s Loki. May I come in?"
The key here is to not actually use your hand, but to make the knocking sounds with your mouth.
The professors in the office welcomed me warmly.
"Yo, Loki. What brings you here?"
"Is Professor Idra here by any chance?"
"Professor Idra? She’s probably in her lab. Why don't you try looking there?"
"Aha, thank you! I'll be on my way then."
Before leaving the office, I poked my head back in one last time.
"Is there anything I can help you all with?"
Honestly, I didn't really need to do this, but there’s no harm in being on good terms with the professors. Among the current Academy faculty, Elicia, Gedra, and Idra are the most famous, but that’s just because those three are exceptional. All the other professors are also outstanding in their respective fields.
"Nothing to help with. Just try to hit the average on the next written exam."
"Now that’s a difficult request."
I might stay awake during class, but that doesn't mean I understand what's being said. I might get it if I studied from the basics, but I don't have time for that. Above all, it’s just not fun.
"Sigh, fine. I suppose I should be grateful you at least stay awake and listen. Off with you."
"Yes, sir!"
Leaving the faculty office, I walked toward Professor Idra’s lab. Between thinking about what to teach Sepia, club issues, and the necromancer I had to deal with, I arrived at the lab in no time.
"Knock, kno—"
"Student Loki, right? Come on in!"
Professor Idra shouted from inside, cutting me off. Her voice sounded incredibly urgent. Did something happen?
"I'm coming in!"
When I opened the door, the lab was a mess, cluttered with various items—a stark contrast to its usual state. Judging by Professor Idra’s personality and way of speaking, you’d think she’d just leave things wherever, but she’s actually the type to organize everything neatly by type and date.
"Did something happen?"
"Ahaha, I just got a bit nostalgic and started pulling out things I made a long time ago, and it ended up like this."
"Whoa... I have moments like that too."
"I knew you'd understand, Student Loki!"
Magic tools were scattered haphazardly across the floor, but to my eyes—equipped with the Creator’s Hand trait—their true value was clear. This was basically like leaving piles of gold bars lying around.
"By the way, couldn't you just quit being a professor if you sold even a few of these?"
At my words, Professor Idra put her hands on her hips and spoke firmly, as if giving a lecture. Of course, given her small and petite stature, she just looked adorable.
"These are like my children! How could I sell them for money? You've made plenty of magic tools too, so you understand, right?"
"No!"
"Ack!"
"Unfortunately, I’m a capitalist clown who believes money is everything..."
"How could you!"
Professor Idra looked at me with shocked eyes. But calming her down when she’s upset is simple.
"Anyway, it’s going to take quite a while to organize all this, isn't it?"
You just have to talk about magic tools.
"Exactly. I have to check if each one still works, and even if they do, I have to see if there’s anything to add or improve. If something’s broken, I have to decide whether to fix it or toss it. Once I’ve done all that, I have to sort them by type."
Maybe a little more praise will make it easier to get what I want?
"Still, it’s amazing that you’re planning to organize all this by yourself. I wouldn't even dream of attempting it. As expected, I truly admire you, Professor Idra!"
"Eh? How could I do this alone? Of course I have someone to help me."
A mere deflection like that can't stop my flattery.
"If that’s the case, the person helping you must have a fair amount of knowledge about magic tools. For someone like that to step up and help so readily... it must be because you’ve always treated them so well, Professor."
"Hehe, is that how it is?"
"Of course. I’d love to meet this person myself."
Professor Idra pointed her finger toward a certain spot. There stood a mirror. At first, I didn't catch her meaning, but then I saw my own reflection in the glass.
"Wait... is that person helping you... me?"
"Yes! I was just about to call for you, but you showed up at the perfect time! I'm so grateful."
That day, I ditched the rest of my afternoon classes. In exchange for helping Professor Idra organize her magic tools all day, I was able to borrow fifteen golems.
"Let me know how they work out later~!"
"Will do!"
Of course, when Professor Elicia asked why I skipped class, I immediately snitched and told her it was because I was helping Professor Idra.
* * *
Katsudo was irritated by the current situation.
Black hair, red eyes, and ice abilities. An Adelian?
Katsudo was more wary of Joden than the Loki standing before him.
No matter how strong he is, taking care of all this in a short time should be impossible.
Having observed Joden’s abilities and gauged his level, Katsudo anticipated that no matter how many mediocre skeletons he threw at him, they would just end up frozen. So, he manipulated the skeletons so that when they were destroyed, they would clump together to summon that before the ice walls could form.
Of course, even if that appeared, it wouldn't be enough to kill Joden, but it should at least buy enough time to kill the brat in front of him.
"Necromancers really are cowardly, aren't they? Always trying to push through with sheer numbers."
Katsudo didn't know the nature of the blue bead Loki had pulled out. However, an instinct honed over centuries of life told him it was dangerous.
Katsudo moved fast. Without hesitation, he attacked Loki.
Bone Spear.
Dozens of spears made of bone flew toward Loki. But Loki was faster.
Loki immediately activated a Golem Core, and a massive golem, over ten meters tall, appeared in the forest. The Bone Spears Katsudo fired failed to reach Loki, instead piercing the suddenly manifested golem.
"Hey! Attacking during a transformation is a total breach of etiquette! Didn't your boss teach you any manners?"
The golem staggered as its leg was blown off, but the mangled limb regenerated in an instant.
Although many skeletons were occupied with Joden, the five skeletons remaining by Katsudo’s side were on a completely different level from the rest. Centuries ago, these were the remains of a famous adventurer party Katsudo had killed. And Katsudo had taken those already powerful skeletons and modified them further.
A skeleton wielding a greatsword charged at the golem. The golem threw a punch at it, but a skeleton with a massive shield intercepted the blow. The shield-wielding skeleton was sent flying by the impact, but the greatsword skeleton slipped into the golem’s guard and swung its blade, slicing through the golem’s arm as easily as a knife through tofu.
In the brief moment the golem took to regenerate its arm, Katsudo fired another volley of Bone Spears, successfully skewering both of the golem’s legs. With its legs gone, the golem naturally slumped down, and a skeleton wielding an axe buried its weapon into the golem’s chest.
A large hole was torn into the golem’s torso, revealing the blue core inside.
"Destroy it."
As Katsudo gave the order and the five skeletons lunged for the core—
"Hup."
Loki tossed four blue beads toward the skeletons, and four more golems appeared in the forest. With this, the number of golems matched the number of skeletons.
"I figured we should at least keep the numbers even!"
* * *
The golems Idra made were certainly strong. However, their opponents were top-tier adventurers who had made names for themselves centuries ago.
Back then, Katsudo hadn't been able to kill them alone; he’d needed the help of other necromancers. Furthermore, unlike the five skeletons who moved in perfect harmony, the golems were over ten meters tall and frequently bumped into each other while trying to attack.
Of course, the golems regenerated every time the skeletons landed a hit. But the skeletons were regenerating as well.
If this continues, I’ll be at a disadvantage.
He didn't know if there was a limit to how many times those golems could regenerate, but the skeletons’ regeneration required Katsudo’s mana. Even with the vast reserves he’d accumulated over centuries, his mana wasn't infinite.
So, Katsudo waited for an opening. And the opportunity he was waiting for arrived soon enough.
The golems, struggling to attack the skeletons, finally got tangled up and began hindering one another. The skeleton with the bow moved nimbly, aiming for the legs of all the golems. The other golems didn't just stand by and watch, but the remaining skeletons desperately held them back.
As a result, all the golems lost their balance and collapsed. Before they could regenerate, the dagger-wielding skeleton—which had been doing nothing but dodging until now—moved. It struck all the golems with lightning speed, exposing all their cores almost simultaneously.
Now.
Deciding he had to destroy all the cores in a single strike, Katsudo began an incantation. Once the incantation was complete, Katsudo’s Main Chain would activate, and the black chains would strike every golem core, making them vanish.
Yes—provided he actually finished the incantation.
Tracing a black arc through the air, Loki’s cane swung toward Katsudo’s neck.
"Seriously, why did you think I’d just be standing still?"
Loki’s attack was blocked once again by a bone shield Katsudo had conjured. However, Loki was grinning behind his mask, while Katsudo’s face contorted in a grimace.
"You attacked me earlier when I was summoning the first Mr. Golem. You didn't seriously think we were having a Pokémon battle, did you?"
Because he’d had to defend against the attack, Katsudo missed his chance to strike the golem cores. Consequently, the golems had already finished regenerating.
Watching Loki intently to ensure such a situation didn't happen again, Katsudo heard Loki speak while pointing a finger at the ground.
"Watch your step."
Katsudo instinctively looked down, and because of that, he failed to see it. The objects Loki had thrown while hiding them with an illusion.
Only after confirming there was nothing on the ground did Katsudo look up, and only then did he see them. The five blue beads hovering right above his head.
In an instant, the blue beads transformed into golems mid-air. Five golems, each over ten meters tall, plummeted directly toward Katsudo.
"I told you to watch out because the ground’s about to cave in."