Chapter 154: Eliminated (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 154: Eliminated (5)
It was only because he got utterly crushed by Silence in the early story without being able to do a single thing.
In reality, the number of people who held the title of Archmage was small, even if you searched the entire continent.
And if you searched through the history of Leon, there wasn't a single one.
An Archmage.
The counterpart to a Sword Master, and a figure similarly referred to as a one-man army.
McGregor, the Head Professor of the Magic Department, was currently proving exactly why.
"Block it!"
"The space itself is changing! How are we supposed to block this?!"
Even the Swordsmanship students, who had resurrected with grim determination, were helpless.
The cold air, which seemed to encroach upon space itself, rendered these swordsmen—who had lived their lives looking only at the blade—utterly powerless.
He wasn't the former Tower Lord of the White Tower for nothing.
"Alright. Situation assessed."
"Do you have a plan?"
"We can't win."
"……?"
The moment I saw our opponent, a thought occurred to me. Mount Everest, the most iconic mountain from my previous life.
Specifically, the 'Death Zone'—the final 800-meter stretch to the summit where the most climbers perish.
Ordinary people can't survive there for long.
But because the summit is right before their eyes, they feel like the progress they've made so far would go to waste, so they keep climbing until they die. Or so the story goes.
McGregor, the Head Professor of the Magic Department standing before us, was exactly like that.
The distance wasn't that great.
However, the speed at which the frost was encroaching on the surroundings was extraordinary.
Since he was the center of it, the impact would be on a completely different dimension the moment we stepped forward.
"What exactly are those Magic Spammers learning?"
Looking at his face, he probably made quite a few women cry in his younger days.
But unless Daisy has very peculiar tastes, there's no way the Head Professor of the Magic Department is a RoFan male lead at that age.
In other words, he doesn't have the RoFan male lead buff.
He doesn't even have a broken bloodline magic like 'Eternity.' Yet, his ice magic is exuding this much pressure.
Meanwhile, our resident Magic Spammer has all sorts of buffs and a broken bloodline magic, yet he can't even manage half of this.
"Isn't it a bit much to compare Arwen to Professor McGregor?"
"If he can't even beat a professor, what's he going to do later?"
"…You can't beat him either."
"That's true."
But you guys are RoFan male leads…
You're supposed to be worked like dogs even after the Academy ends…
Unlike me, who plans to stop appearing in Leon once the Academy arc is over, you guys need to grow a bit more.
"So. What are we going to do if we can't win?"
"What do you mean, 'what'?"
We run.
I didn't expect Professor McGregor to show up instead of the Sword Emperor, but seeing as even Professor McGregor is massacring students with that smirk on his face…
Our Sword Emperor wasn't the type of person to just sit still.
"Preserving our strength is the top priority."
If the Head Professor of the Magic Department is here.
Then the Head Professor of the Swordsmanship Department must be at the Magic Department.
I can roughly guess what they're thinking, but still, isn't this a bit much?
"So. How are we running?"
"What do you mean, 'how'?"
Survival of the fittest.
"You have to survive on your own."
Violet - What a Shitshow
The Head Professor of the Swordsmanship Department suddenly appearing to oppress the Magic Department students?
Unless the Academy had declared its service termination because it couldn't handle the long-standing invasion of the Dark Mages, this was impossible.
In other words, just as a monster was running wild in the Magic Department.
There must be a corresponding event happening in the Swordsmanship Department.
"Preserving our strength is the top priority."
"Pardon?"
"There's a very high probability that Professor McGregor is on the other side."
"The Head Professor? Why?"
I could roughly guess.
Since it seemed like the students couldn't settle things among themselves, they were probably trying to suppress them with pure martial force.
What mage would dare call Sword Emperor Aren a mere 'sword fighter'?
What swordsman would call Professor McGregor a 'Magic Spammer'…
"If it's that guy, maybe it's possible?"
…Excluding Adam Smith, no such person existed.
Anyway, as proof of that.
Unlike the way he was radiating Aura, the damage caused by the Sword Emperor wasn't that severe.
It felt purely like he was showing off his sword.
In fact, even the mages, who studied the mysteries of magic, were admiring the beautiful and overwhelming flow of mana displayed by the Sword Emperor's blade with dazed expressions.
However, we couldn't just lose like this.
Therefore.
"Go, Daisy!"
"…Huh? What?"
"Go and fight the Sword Emperor!"
"Me?"
"Yes!"
It was unfortunate, but at the same time, it couldn't be helped.
Daisy, who was in the Magic Department before but moved to the Swordsmanship Department this year, was the most ambiguous person in this fight.
Therefore, now was the perfect time to use Daisy as a disposable asset.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Just sacrifice yourself for me!"
"Violet, you've changed…"
I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched her walk forward, drawing her magic sword with a tearful face.
Sorry, Daisy.
I'll buy you something delicious once the exam is over!
"We're retreating."
After sending off the tearful Daisy, I led the Magic Department and fled without a moment's hesitation.
How much time had passed?
"…What's this?"
A chill.
It wasn't the feeling of a dagger being thrust into my heart.
It was just… chilly.
Akensom is an island near the Imperial Capital, and the Imperial Capital is a place with four distinct seasons—as expected of a RoFan novel written by a Korean—but…
"Phew."
Why did my short breath turn into a visible mist from the cold?
The reason soon appeared before my eyes.
"……"
"……"
Looking at the storm of frost raging beyond the Swordsmanship students, no explanation was needed.
"Aaaargh!"
"Daisy's been taken down!"
Judging by the sounds from behind, the Sword Emperor is coming too.
In front of us is the magic cast by the Archmage on the Swordsmanship Department.
Behind us is the monster called the strongest in the world with a sword.
To summarize this situation in one word:
"What a shitshow."
"A total shitshow…"
It was a shitshow.
A shitshow is a shitshow.
The moment our eyes met, we both made our judgments.
"It's the Magic Department! Get them!"
"It's the Swordsmanship Department! Run!"
Since a blizzard was pouring down from behind us anyway, we had no way back.
They seemed to have some leeway in their escape, perhaps because they had somehow managed to stall the Sword Emperor.
"Aaaargh!"
"Daisy's been taken down!"
That dirty bastard.
He used Daisy as bait.
But even if it was Daisy with a magic sword.
There was no way she could hold out against the Sword Emperor using Aura.
Well, of course, no matter how much of a Sword Emperor he is, there's no way he'd use Aura in a student exam…
"He is."
Looking at the Aura shining brilliantly in the distance, I was speechless.
Do these professors really have no sense of moderation?
I think I know what they're thinking, but charging in like that is…
"……?"
Oh, shit.
Why is he getting closer?
Clang!
By the time that thought crossed my mind, our swords had already collided.
"I have to be fair to the students!"
I couldn't bring myself to smile at the Sword Emperor's grin, which seemed to say, 'Did you really think I was on your side?'
"……"
No, seriously, isn't this a bit much?
As if he had read my mind, the Sword Emperor spoke as if making an excuse.
"Old Mac isn't going easy on the mages either, is he?"
Is 'Mac' referring to the Head Professor of the Magic Department?
"Aaaargh!"
"Professor! We're from the Magic Department!"
As if to prove the Sword Emperor's words, the storm of ice was swallowing everything, regardless of whether they were from the Swordsmanship or Magic Department.
Especially.
"…Doesn't it look like the center of that thing is getting closer to us?"
"Tsk, tsk. That's why you should've known when to stop teasing the mages. Even Mac thinks you're… Huh?"
It was true that the center of the storm was getting closer, but anyone could see that the direction wasn't set toward me.
"Hey, you bastard!"
"That's why you should've behaved yourself normally…"
I hadn't seen it personally, but based on the image of the Sword Emperor I had in my mind, he was someone who would be even worse than me, not better.
And at the same time.
"So that's how it's going to be?"
The Sword Emperor was also a powerhouse with overwhelming strength that I couldn't even begin to compare myself to.
A brilliant light erupted from the tip of his sword.
Even in this chaotic mess, it was a sword that any swordsman couldn't help but watch.
If you looked at him without his sword, everything about the man called the Sword Emperor seemed like a weakness.
"Supreme Dominion."
But the moment you saw his sword, you couldn't help but realize.
Those weren't weaknesses; it was the confidence to say, 'Come at me if you can.'
As I watched the wave of mana from his sword pierce and shatter the core of the storm.
Both swordsmen and mages watched in a daze.
"Then, take this too!"
Only the Head Professor of the Magic Department had already prepared an even more powerful spell, as if he had expected this.
"Seriously, these people…"
Seeing dark clouds forming in the clear sky and the atmospheric temperature shifting, I snapped back to my senses.
If they were that bored, they should've fought at the upcoming Founding Festival.
If they fought there, the whole world would be shocked and cheer for them.
Why the hell are they doing this during a student exam?
But it wasn't bad.
No one could take their eyes off such an incredible fight.
So, using this opportunity.
If I take out the enemy leader right now, victory will be ours.
"……"
"……"
It seemed we had the exact same idea.
My eyes met with Boradori's, who had a spell charged at her fingertips.
"You bastard?"
"You were aiming for me too!"
Was he trying to end it in one shot?
The distance between Boradori and me wasn't that close.
At this range, there was no way Boradori could beat me, no matter what she tried.
Unless a truly massive variable occurred.
For example…
"Aaaaaargh!"
A person fell between us.
He was covered in frost here and there, likely caught in Professor McGregor's ice storm.
"……"
"……"
Anyone could see that he wasn't wearing an Academy uniform.
He was decked out in black from head to toe, making him stand out even more.
"…Be honest. At this point, hasn't the Magic Department teamed up with the Dark Mages?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?!"
Boradori must have found it absurd, but not as much as I did.
They were invading as if they were in a tag-team match with the Magic Department. Isn't it a reasonable suspicion by now?
"First, the Dark Mage…"
Perhaps because she didn't want to be treated as an accomplice, Boradori's decision to attack the Dark Mage immediately was the right one.
"Gah! You're really doing this?!"
The fallen Dark Mage was already a wreck, so I didn't hesitate.
"Traitors must be punished."
"Hey, are you really doing this?! The enemies have appeared! What about the professors! We students should join forces here!"
Don't make me laugh.
We've done the same thing several times already, so I know.
There's no way this bastard Boradori hasn't thought of the same thing I did.
So, I have to send him packing while I have the chance.
"Hey, hey!"
Where does he think he's going with that 'fishing' technique?
"No, look at that! I'll bet my entire annual salary!"
"No, what is it?"
I wondered what it was that he'd stake his life on, so I turned my head.
"……?"
There stood Ellen, looking somewhat dazed.
But.
"…Huh?"
Unlike his dazed expression, the sword in his hand was strange.
"……Huh?"
What was gathered at the tip of the sword was a complete mess, but it wasn't Sword Energy.
"……?"
It was incredibly unstable, as if it would pop if you just poked him in the side.
"……??"
But it was definitely what they called Aura.
"……?"
No, what the fuck.
What kind of 'Awakening Event' is this?
Usually, the RoFan heroine has to be in danger or his life has to be on the line for this to happen.
"Hahahaha!"
"Ha."
I wished I was seeing things, but seeing the Sword Emperor's laughter and the Archmage's sigh, it seemed it was real.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
If you're going to do that, then I'll… actually, I won't do shit. Fuck.
I'll just have to tell the Commander to deal with it.