Chain of Incidents (2)
It had been less than a minute since they met, but the senior had already unleashed her alchemy, binding Evan in an instant.
"H-Hyungnim?!"
The guy was tied up tight before he could even react. Then the senior's magic circle glowed even brighter. The substance that had only wrapped around his lower body crept up to engulf his upper body as well, leaving just his head free.
"P-Please, spare me! Senior, you're trying to kill me…!"
Evan hurriedly called for help, but the alchemy had blocked his mana flow too, leaving him helpless. I took a quick look at his condition. Fortunately, it wasn't life-threatening. She had simply restrained him, nothing more.
"Senior?"
"What."
"What'd this guy do wrong?"
"Nothing. He just pisses me off."
"Hmm…"
I pondered for a moment and approached Evan. Wrapping my hand in mana, I plunged it into his waist. My hand easily pierced the alchemical substance. When I pulled my arm out, a small statue came with it. I held it up for the senior to see.
"Is this why?"
"Get that filthy thing away."
She grimaced and quickly backed away, even hiding behind Rana and peeking out just enough to glare at it.
This reaction was right on the money…
It was exactly like the description in the novel. Ruina Lindel hated black magic to the point of loathing it. But even in the novel, she wouldn't have recoiled like this from just touching it.
"Then maybe this…"
I reached into his other side. That's when Evan's voice piped up.
"Hyungnim… before that, could you get me out first…?"
He looked at me with pitiful eyes. I ignored him and shot back.
"Quit panicking and stay still."
"What'd I even do to deserve this…?"
This time, I pulled out Evan's sword, Raman, and showed it off.
"What about this?"
"…Why do you keep messing with me?"
The senior recoiled even more, covering her face completely. As expected—she hated the purifying power infused in the blade. Still, there was no real reason for her to dislike it. If there had been in the novel, the two of them never would've gotten along.
"What exactly is pissing you off?"
I asked, and she answered right away.
"He just looks weirdly like you. In a vague, annoying way. That's why."
"That's a new one."
Evan shot me an aggrieved look upon hearing that. Even I, who messed with Evan all the time, had to agree. I couldn't see any resemblance. Maybe the senior just felt it differently. Shrugging it off, I told Evan,
"Looks like you're not destined to get along with her."
"Don't say that—get me out! Being stuck in here feels all wrong, just wrong…!"
At his desperate cry, I turned to the senior.
"Could you let him out now?"
"Sure."
She nodded and immediately dispelled the alchemy. Freed, Evan collapsed in place. He slowly opened his mouth.
"I knew there were some weird people in third year, but this is too much…"
His hands were still trembling hard—must've been quite the shock. Leaving him to recover, I asked,
"So, where'd you get that?"
The senior pointed at the statue in my hand.
"Found it in Tianis. This guy on the floor and my little brother here."
"It was hidden inside the wall."
My brother chimed in. Hearing that, the senior said,
"A black mage? Here?"
"Recent events, this statue—it's gotta be."
"……."
A chill settled over the senior's face. No change in expression, but the workshop's atmosphere froze solid. It didn't last long, though. Returning to normal, she asked me,
"Want help?"
"No need to step up yourself. But with this statue…"
I explained what I wanted. She nodded.
"Easy. It'll be quick."
True to her word, she got to work confidently. Adjusting the statue took no time at all—just about five minutes of alchemical tinkering, and she was done.
"There."
"Thanks. Want me to grab you something later?"
"Apple pie."
"I'll swing by after we're done."
"Okay."
With business in the workshop wrapped up, I headed out.
"Ruina-senior! I'll bring cake next time too!"
"…Don't come."
Rana noticed my move and exchanged(?) friendly farewells with the senior.
"Whoa… so that's alchemy."
"Never seen that level before."
"Quit spacing out and let's go."
I rounded up the two still dazed from the senior's alchemy. Before leaving, she grabbed me.
"Don't let them live."
"The black mage?"
"Yeah. Can't leave 'em breathing."
"Got it. We'll wipe 'em out clean."
I could see faint fury in her eyes—a rare sight. I knew why she hated black mages so much.
After that, the four of us left the workshop.
In Akacheonma, black mages were one of the main villains, reviled across the continent as embodiments of evil. They spread plagues and curses, leaving only destruction and chaos in their wake—it was only natural. Now their tentacles were reaching into the academy.
Of course, black mages were insidious and cunning, rarely showing themselves. Even when they acted, they hid meticulously. For them to operate so brazenly now meant they were that confident.
"This is the last one."
I pulled another statue from the ground. No more tracking signals, so this was the end of the buried ones.
"Rana, what about the professors?"
"They found 'em all too!"
"How many?"
"Fifteen!"
Evan and my brother reacted to Rana's words.
"These guys are insane. We've got over eight, and that's fifteen more…"
"Black mages really shouldn't exist."
I listened to them while holding the freshly found statue in my left hand and the senior's adjusted one in my right. I poured mana into the one on the right.
Pzzt!
The embedded alchemy activated, spreading to the opposite statue. Its form shifted, the inscribed magic realigning. Now synced with the senior's version, it looked nothing like the original.
Preparations complete. I handed it to Evan.
"Comms still good?"
"Yes, hyungnim."
"No issues here."
"Mine's fine too!"
After their replies, I continued.
"When the magic triggers, it'll teleport you elsewhere. Might not land in the same spot—probably won't."
The black mages hadn't gathered sacrifices in one place; they'd split them into zones. Just in case they were discovered, like now. Even teleporting via statues, we'd likely scatter. The novel had them separated too, so reality should match.
"Stay calm, assess first. Don't move even if you see students."
Just in case, but they wouldn't act rashly. None of them—Rana, Evan, or Veil—were the type to lose reason and charge in.
They nodded, so I pulled my own statue from my pocket.
"Let's go."
Right then, we activated the statues' magic.
Rat squeaks echoed occasionally in the bloodstained prison cell.
"Hic…"
"W-Where… are we…?"
"I wanna go home…"
The students huddled in terror, sobbing. They came from all departments and years—even a few third-years. But no one could act.
Not when they could see what happened to those who tried. Eyes vacant, idiots rolling on the floor. Alive, but not really— the fate of students who'd attempted escape.
The alien, fear-inducing space amplified the psychological pressure, paralyzing them. And the curse magic permeating the air sealed it—no one dared even try.
Helplessness bloomed among them. These talented, confident kids looked broken.
And then—
Creeeak—
The iron gate opened, and a man in a black robe entered. The students trembled at his arrival. Blood dripped from his sleeves, reeking of black magic's malice—not to mention no student returned after being dragged off by him.
He scanned the cell, eyes gleaming as he sized up faces like livestock. Then one girl caught his eye.
"You. Come out."
Her face drained of color the instant she was picked.
"Come on while I'm asking nice. Unless you wanna end up like the last one."
She didn't budge despite his warning. Death awaited if she went. No way. Resistance was futile, but it might buy a little more time. Survival instinct overrode fear.
"Tch, annoying."
Clicking his tongue, he summoned black magic. Two skeletons shambled out from behind him. The necromancer directed them to drag her forward.
"Help! Save me! Guys, help…!"
She screamed, reaching for her classmates. A few instinctively moved to aid—but his voice stopped them cold.
"Wanna end up like the corner ones? Stay put."
They flinched and retreated at the menacing tone. Death was bad enough; mental ruin was worse. That wasn't living.
"No…! I don't wanna die! I still— mmph!!"
Her ear-piercing shrieks prompted him to seal her mouth with mana. He'd have killed her otherwise, but fresh sacrifices were key for the ritual.
He shut and locked the gate to prevent escape. The moment the magic sealed it—
A chill brushed his back, his neck itching. Puzzled, he turned.
His head twisted too far, tumbling down. He glimpsed the figure behind him.
"Who the hell…?"
The man spoke, and his foe casually rested his sword on his shoulder.
"Trash can talk, huh."
Before he could process the nonsense—
Thud. His head hit the ground, vision blacking out. Consciousness snuffed.
A pathetic end for the continent's scourge. Watching the head roll, Kyle Arden remarked,
"Black mages and their yapping. Gotta give 'em that."
He stomped down with full force.
Crunch!