The Academy's Chaotic Welcome 2
If I hadn't had Life Detection, I never would have noticed. Amid the dense crowd's movements, a shadowy figure flickered. That was it. I couldn't even blink, lest I lose sight of the target. As the killing intent closed in with blinding speed, I converted my stamina into mana.
"Damn it..."
If it was after me, I could go out to meet it. But I couldn't let it sweep up Lina and Yujeong in the process.
"Stay here."
I reflexively shouted and shoved Yujeong and Harin behind me. At the same time, every muscle in my body shifted into combat mode. As I swapped stamina for mana, power surged through my veins and gathered at my fist's tip.
"H-Hyung?"
Harin's shocked face— no time to answer. My vision was clear, but my senses and Life Detection told me plainly: danger was right in front of me.
The space between the students walking ahead warped faintly like a heat haze. Something invisible was charging straight at me.
A human bomb?!
No time to hesitate. If that thing detonated amid the students, this place would turn into hell in seconds. I kicked off the ground and lunged forward. Twisting my waist, I compressed mana into a spiral in my right fist.
Counter. Smash it before it explodes.
"Danger!"
The instant my shout rang out and my fist thrust toward the distorted space—
Whoosh!
A silver flash streaked past my eyes. Faster than my punch.
"This bastard... you planning to kill all the students?"
A man blocked my path. Spiky hair that didn't suit his silver-gray suit. A playful smile on his face, monocle glinting. Amagi Souma?
His right hand clenched the empty air. I felt the wriggling distortion calm down. He pointed his other hand at the empty space.
Screeech— Something peeled away from the air, revealing the form of a transparent figure. A naked woman, gripped by the throat in his hand. She was limp, unconscious.
"Oh dear, oh dear. This freshman welcome's a bit too extreme, isn't it?"
The man spoke in a sly tone, fiddling with the woman's body with his free hand.
"Invisibility magic and an explosion spell in her womb. Almadia's tastes haven't changed. Tsk tsk."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
A sinister black rune was etched on the naked woman's lower abdomen. Her explosive breasts and slim figure drew every eye. Pale, snow-white skin and blonde hair— classic Almadia traits.
Fresh Golem made from a corpse. If you'd punched her, boom!
Amagi Souma made an exaggerated gesture and chuckled. At the same time, he fondled the breast of the woman he held up with one hand.
"What a shame to just blow up a body like this, right?"
He lightly tapped the rune on her lower abdomen with his finger. The characters lost their glow and faded away. The human bomb was disarmed just like that.
"Thank you."
As I bowed my head, he murmured, "Wonder if I can modify her?" while poking and prodding the collapsed woman.
Fresh Golem human bomb. A cursed weapon born from Almadia Holy Kingdom magic.
An Almadia mage targeting me? No... one of my brothers.
Amagi Souma, who'd been spreading the Fresh Golem's pussy wide with his fingers and exploring inside, looked up at me.
"You're Hadojin, right? Congrats on enrolling. That reaction speed was impressive."
"...Yes."
"I'm Amagi Souma, martial arts instructor. Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other."
He offered the hand that had been in the Fresh Golem's pussy. Slick with juices dripping down.
"Ah. Sorry."
He wiped it on his thigh and extended it again. I shook lightly, but his iron grip threatened to crush my hand bones. Not just a greeting—a test.
I countered with the mana I'd already gathered for an attack. An invisible clash of mana erupted between our hands.
Crunch—
As I drew in more mana, Amagi Souma let go. Pure wonder lit his eyes.
"Oho, not bad at all, huh?"
His expression had changed after the handshake. He eyed me like tasty prey.
"This guy's the real deal. At least 3rd Circle. Better than most third-years."
Amagi Souma. The academy's eccentric martial arts instructor. In the original story, he'd been Hadojin's hidden ally.
He scanned me up and down. No need to hide my power now that I was at the academy. I'd come here to get stronger, after all.
"See you later. I'll investigate this one thoroughly... but I won't uncover the culprit."
Amagi Souma hoisted the fallen Fresh Golem over his shoulder with a bitter face.
"You know what I mean, right?"
"Yes. I do."
"Watch out—no innocent casualties in the successor war. By the way, your brothers are already planted in second and third years."
"Yes. Thank you for the advice."
Amagi Souma had figured one of my brothers sent the Fresh Golem. A welcome gift to test my skills.
He whispered in my ear, voice for my ears only:
"Your martial arts have too many useless moves. Instead of cheap waist tricks, build up more mana."
His jab at my boxing stung a bit, but I just smiled it off. With that, Amagi Souma melted into the crowd.
"Whew..."
Was it my second brother Hadomong, who knows me? Or... the elders?
"Bit extravagant for a welcome."
"Hyung, that woman was a bomb?"
Harina—no, Harin—and Yujeong looked mildly shocked.
"Yeah. A Fresh Golem made by a necromancer."
"Eww, gross. Turning human corpses into weapons? I hate necromancers."
Yujeong's words had Harin nodding too.
"Might not be a corpse. Poor Almadia commoners sometimes sell their bodies as Fresh Golems for their families."
Harin was right. Almadia's nobles wielded mighty magic and authority, but the commoners lived in medieval poverty. Ironically, Almadia tabooed science—for the masses only. Keeping the populace ignorant was a great control tool.
The commotion was swiftly handled by academy staff. As if nothing happened, freshmen reformed lines and headed to the massive auditorium.
"Ppiieee~"
Mochi, who'd hidden in my arms, climbed back to my shoulder. Harin and Yujeong's tense faces brightened at the sight.
"Oh? Looks like mana measurement's starting."
I focused on the auditorium stage. The academy dean and key professors stood arrayed there. Amagi Souma caught my eye and nodded lightly in greeting.
In the center loomed a man-sized crystal orb, glowing faintly blue.
Mana measurer. The first gate deciding freshmen potential and fates.
Mana Amount: 37
Mana Amount: 52
"We begin freshman mana measurement now!"
A middle-aged professor on stage bellowed with mana amplification. The auditorium buzzed.
"When called, come to the stage and place your hand on the crystal orb. You'll be assigned to classes based on measured mana!"
Students went up one by one. The orb glowed blue in varying intensity, and the mana gauge displayed numbers.
Most commoner kids didn't hit 100. They trudged dejectedly to the "Gathering Squad" or "Support Squad" signs.
But noble-looking students changed the vibe.
Mana Amount: 215
Mana Amount: 348
Three digits brought gasps from the crowd. They strutted to "Hunter Squad" or "Mage Squad."
"Next, Harin!"
I patted Harin's shoulder as her name was called.
"Don't tense up."
"Hmph. Who do you think I am?"
She shot back curtly and strode to the stage confidently. The orb blazed brighter than before when she touched it.
Mana Amount: 788
"...!"
The auditorium stirred. Even professors exchanged stunned looks. Such a score from a commoner boy was unheard of.
"Hell yeah!"
Harin shrugged smugly as she came down, grinning ear to ear.
"See that, hyung? Your little sis's power."
"Good job."
Then, silence fell over the hall. The flashy Almadia-uniformed boy who'd drawn eyes earlier ascended the stage.
"Valerius von Kreuzer!"
Awe rippled from the nobles at his name. He smirked arrogantly and touched the orb.
Kwaaaa—!
The orb erupted in blinding blue radiance. The gauge skyrocketed.
Mana Amount: 1,998
"...Nearly 2,000!"
"As expected of the Kreuzer direct line!"
The hall exploded in frenzy. Valerius smirked contentedly and tilted his chin my way—like declaring victory.
"Next, Hadojin!"
All eyes locked on me. Thanks to the assassination and instructor incident, I was already the most infamous freshman.
I walked slowly to the stage. The student council head who'd blocked me earlier now assisted measurements beside me. He whispered with a sneer he didn't hide.
"Divine edict or not, doesn't mean your mana’s high. Let's see your real power, punk."
I ignored the taunt and stood before the orb. Without hesitation, I placed my hand on it.
That instant.
Wooooong—!
The orb didn't glow blue. It shifted to an eerie abyssal hue. Dark crimson—like blood and shadow mixed, ominous and overwhelming.
The orb vibrated like it screamed. The gauge stopped showing numbers.
[ERROR]
[#%^&!!]
[SYSTEM_OVERLOAD]
"Wh-what?!"
"Why's the orb... acting like that?!"
As students and professors gaped, the vibrations intensified. Crack...! Fissures spiderwebbed across the surface.
"Danger! Everyone back!"
The measuring professor yelled urgently. Too late.
Crash!
The massive orb shattered like a glass cup. Blue and dark red mana shards flew everywhere. The auditorium became chaos.
At the epicenter, I casually dusted my hand. An invisible barrier around me deflected every fragment.
Silence blanketed the hall. In the frozen hush, all stared at me, dumbfounded. Shattered orb remnants—and me, unscathed before them.
Then, the dean rose from his seat. The white-haired elder pronounced judgment in a trembling voice.
"Hadojin... mana amount... immeasurable."
