Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Soul Soldier Hunt
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Heading back to the boys' dorm after class.
I flipped open my student handbook with one hand to check the points I'd earned so far.
Hmm, I spent 3pt eating with Aba earlier. Got 1pt just for attending afternoon class...
Total: 356pt. 144pt to go.
If I nail the night classes, I'll have enough to promote tomorrow.
Do I jump straight to Wolf Rank once I hit the points?
"There he is!"
What? I tensed up, thinking the cadets were swarming me.
But I wasn't their target.
The courtyard was in chaos. Cadets were scurrying around, scanning every corner.
Some dashed by with blades drawn, others moved in mixed groups, but the enforcers just exchanged words and did nothing.
Weird scene.
I hurried to my dorm room, and Aba, who had been pacing anxiously out front, spotted me and rushed over.
"Dekal. Hurry. Emergency directive just dropped."
"Emergency directive?"
"It's a huge scoring chance if you want top points. 30pt per Soul Soldier!"
No time to waste, so I let Aba drag me along like the other cadets hustling everywhere.
It didn't take long to figure out what was happening as we ran around.
This was a Melbritt event.
Looks like I'm fated for these sudden missions.
We ended up out in the field, hunting monsters on the fly.
"Soul Soldier. One over there!"
The one Aba spotted looked like a small golem.
Instead of stone limbs, it had glass jars—like the kind for growing plants—forming its arms and legs, with translucent, colorless soul energy swirling at the joints.
I raised my hand toward it.
"Fire...!"
Stopped the incantation just in time.
Cadets were charging the Soul Soldier.
Couldn't lob a Fireball at it with them in the way.
"Ah, missed it."
No time to lament—Soul Soldiers were popping up everywhere.
"Fire Arrow!"
I fired a weakened Fire Arrow.
But the Soul Soldier didn't drop from one hit. Needed at least two, and by then, other cadets swooped in and snagged it.
"Damn it!"
Frustrating!
Couldn't unleash high-power spells with everyone around.
Aba had spotted one and bolted. Maybe I should just run in too? Smashing them up close might be faster.
And it wasn't just a hunch.
Soul Soldiers resisted magic and ranged attacks but were vulnerable up close.
Seemed designed that way to balance against cadets rushing in to bash them.
In the ten-minute frenzy, I soloed one and assisted on nine.
Assists counted for just touching them—3pt each—and the emergency directive netted me 57pt.
"Only snagged two."
Aba got 60pt for soloing two clean, no assists.
For the first time, I felt a real pang of regret.
I couldn't use my full power.
But I couldn't just Fireball the whole crowd either.
"Thanks for the heads-up."
I said it first to Aba, who'd waited out front.
He scratched his head, sheepish.
"First time for me too. Heard they do it occasionally to train handling unexpected crises..."
"Sucks not being able to spam spells."
"Nah, it showed off your control. Crucial for fire mages—not hurting allies. It's about trust."
"Trust?"
"You wouldn't party with a fire mage who might nuke everyone in a pinch, right?"
"Ah."
Got it.
"Fire mages always seem hot-headed. My brother too..."
Aba clammed up suddenly.
"What?"
"Nah, nothing."
Made me think of Bella.
Fire goddess sets the tone—they're all rough around the edges.
But I didn't think I was better.
Aba didn't know, but I'd killed with fire magic before.
Calmly dumped all my MP into obliterating someone.
Sure, I was careful around allies while hunting, but in a real pinch? Might not hold back.
The thought hit me out of nowhere.
I'd finally bulked up with Belerra's hefty blessing for powerhouse fire magic.
Sticking to Fire Arrows felt like a waste.
Fewer fights meant fewer chances to level Fireball proficiency too.
"Hmm."
Points alone won't cut it.
Needed to improve something. This emergency directive drove it home.
"Aba. Any spots to freely practice magic?"
"Practice area? Yeah, head that way—there's an always-open training field. Unlike other facilities."
"Hmm."
I glanced where he pointed.
From afar, cadets on horseback—thought it was a riding arena.
"Anyway, grub first? Solid points haul."
"Good call."
Event vibes meant the cafeteria had rare fancy dishes.
More cadets laughing and chatting than usual.
I got the 20pt steak; Aba ordered the 5pt meat set I'd shared before.
Curious about the taste—pretty good.
Held up against the fresh sirloin Bella sourced from the Eight-Colored Shell castle.
But this wasn't beef, right? Livestock here?
No clue, but the random sprint paid off.
I finished eating and used the free time.
Aba's training field was a wide open lot near the main building. Nothing there.
If Melbritt was Earth, this was the desert. Dirt ground, just training gear jutting up.
Targets in spots, scarecrows in others, fenced areas for jousting.
Nearby stables held healthy steeds with house crests on their saddles, snorting steam.
Never been big on riding, so I skipped to the targets.
Not here for boring reps.
Needed a place to test stuff.
Since mastering Fireball, I'd constantly dialed back range and power.
And it'd keep happening.
"Fireball."
Instant-cast a fireball orb.
Once it hit soccer-ball size, bystanders felt the scorch.
That much heat.
Fix that first?
"..."
Wind spirit suppressed the flickering flames.
Like Esty did against Tilia.
The spirit-summoned wind wrapped the fireball in a thin membrane, shaping it neat.
Pointless on a cast spell? Maybe...
But like Aba said, trust matters for fire mages.
This "waste" builds consideration.
Looked like condensed fire essence—heat fully contained.
"Launch it like this..."
Aimed at the target, hurled the compressed orb.
But as it gained speed, the membrane clashed, flames bursting midway.
"Oof."
Could be riskier—irregular explosion.
Failure?
Nah, expected.
If simple tricks fixed fire's spread issue, everyone'd do it.
Repeated the test a few times.
Heat control got easy, but power dropped, cast time up—inefficient.
But the clue's here.
Reduce fallout without losing oomph...
"Ah."
Eyed my concentration bracelet.
Always thought it just boosted power via extra MP.
What if...?
Shrink the spell's volume itself?
Spirit arts no-go, so test item next.
"Fireball."
Bracelet glowed faintly.
［Acquired Unique Skill: Magic Condensation.］
Fireball halved in size.
Heat unchanged.
Bracelet unlocked a unique skill for me.
"More..."
Focused harder, shrinking it to half again—palm-sized.
Power test time.
"Go."
Ultra-compressed Fireball rocketed to the target.
Boom!
Target shook hard.
Magic-shielded surface unscratched, but damage matched original... no, stronger maybe.
Excitement surged.
Fireball still risky, but endless applications unlocked.
"Fireball."
New orb, wind membrane wrap. Gap between kept membrane stable mid-flight.
Fireball flew, heat fully veiled, hit target, exploded, engulfed it in flames.
Big win.
Caution on burst still needed, but full power focused now.
Unlocked via proper bracelet use.
God-given gear indeed.
Turns out I'm a condenser mage. Awesome!
Embraced it, drilled mini-Fireballs.
By sunset, ditched Fire Arrows for good.
Status open.
Name: Dekal
Lv: 151
Status
［HP］ 10999/10999
［MP］ 10198/12381
Stats
Strength 1 Magic 1 Stamina 1 Agility 1
Belerra's Blessing《True》
「Blessing granting dominion over fire among elements. Only the goddess's true devotee receives it.」
(Fire damage immunity, fire magic power up, all skill proficiencies up.)
Goddess's Proxy
「Communicate in all tongues, read all scripts. Qualification to traverse worlds, proof of divine favor.」
(Skill acquisition up, EXP up, stat multiplier 5x up)
Wind Spirit(+5)
「Freest spirit, bends air currents and commands winds.」
Skills
Fireball(★★) - Mid-tier fire magic with heavy punch. Burns targets to the bone.
Fire Enchant(★★★) - Imbues objects with fire attribute.
Search(★★☆) - Keen observation uncovers and analyzes traces.
Space Leap(★) - Elven unique skill. Top-tier mobility via deep wind spirit bond.
Magic Condensation(☆) - Rare unique skill, learning method unknown. Compresses attack spells.
Veil of Concealment - Concealment magic usable only with ［Ring of the Innocent］equipped. Draws a hiding veil over the body.
Condensation worked sans bracelet, but no need—bracelet synergy best.
Wind wrapping helped too—spirit affinity visibly up.
Good enough.
Ready to ditch Rabbit Rank.
Headed straight to lecture hall for night class.
Night attendance 2pt, right?
Minus steak, at 395pt.
Not planned, but seven quality bangs hit 105pt perfect.
Last taste of Ekate's ripe pussy post-assistantship.
Promotion means no more shared classes.
Emergency directive thinned the crowd—me, Ekate, one other.
Perfect. Class bored me anyway.
Sat right next to Ekate.
Usual base suggestion.
Fun lesson kicked off.