Episode 102
Episode 102
As the water spirit fled, Lee Han also stopped his incantation and shouted.
"Stop right there!"
When you thought about it, this whole situation was the fault of those water spirits in the lake.
If they hadn't shown up so early, he could have leisurely herded those White Tiger Tower bastards onto the sandbank and verified everything properly!
"Wardanaz, fighting a spirit while injured is a bit dangerous...!"
Duke Ma, who had been trying to dissuade him, changed his tune upon seeing the fleeing spirit.
"Never mind! It's not dangerous after all! Let's chase it! Angrago!"
"W-wait a moment!"
Angrago hurriedly wrapped the food in leather. It was too precious to just leave behind.
"After that bastard! It's definitely one of the Headmaster's minions!"
Lee Han commanded in a voice colder than the chilling night air.
The two White Tiger Tower students ran forward feeling like they'd become the villains.
...Even though they clearly weren't doing anything wrong, they somehow felt like they were doing something bad.
Angrago veered left. A sharp orb of water came flying but he narrowly dodged it.
Duke Ma turned right. A watery spike shot toward him but since his head was low, he avoided it effortlessly.
'Water spirits' attacks are really simplistic.'
Lee Han thought this as he advanced straight down the center. The water spirit attacked Lee Han too. Rather than dodging, Lee Han summoned a water orb of his own to deflect it.
While the undead summon of the sandbank, Zorban II, was massive and powerful, a low-level water spirit like this couldn't defeat Lee Han head-on.
As Lee Han approached radiating murderous mana, the water spirit trembled violently in panic.
"Don't run. Water spirit. I mean you no harm."
"...?"
Angrago, who had been pointing his wooden sword at the spirit, thought to himself:
'In this situation, wouldn't anything you say sound unbelievable?'
If he were the water spirit, he'd never believe it...
"You must be the Skeleton Principal's subordinate. Right?"
The water spirit shook its head rapidly.
Though they lacked the skill to converse with spirits, the White Tiger Tower students somehow understood what the spirit was trying to convey.
'It's absolutely denying it.'
Water spirits inherently evoked sympathy from observers.
Their spherical water forms exuded a gentle aqueous aura that softened people's hostility.
But Lee Han remained unmoved.
"Don't try to deceive me. The Skeleton Principal must have ordered you to do this."
"...!"
Duke Ma was startled.
Was that it?
Yet the water spirit shook its head desperately again. Lee Han coldly pointed out:
"Then why did you attack us while we were crossing the lake, and even when we were resting afterwards?"
"That's true...!"
Faced with Lee Han's logical argument, the two students had no choice but to agree.
It was indeed strange for a water spirit to pursue and attack them so persistently.
The water spirit shook its body wildly while pointing at Lee Han.
"?"
"What's going on?"
The two couldn't understand why the spirit was behaving this way.
Of course, Lee Han knew.
'It's saying it thought I came to attack them...'
If that was the case, even Lee Han had nothing to say.
After all, he'd been the one who first radiated murderous mana over the lake.
"Wardanaz. What's that spirit saying?"
"That it thought you were attacking it because of your spear thrust."
"Tch."
Angrago had no response for the water spirit.
"That was a mistake. Had I known water spirits were present, I would've been much more careful with my thrust. I wish you'd believe that much at least..."
The water spirit looked utterly bewildered by Angrago's excuse, as if to say "What nonsense is this?"
If Lee Han was scary, what kind of nonsense was this guy spouting?
Lee Han nodded in agreement instead.
"It understands that mistakes can happen."
"What a relief...!"
"But even if we overlook what happened at the lake, there's no excuse for attacking us while we were resting."
Since dwelling on the lake incident wouldn't do any good, Lee Han swiftly moved on to the next topic.
The water spirit fell right into Lee Han's wicked scheme.
Forgetting all about discussing the lake incident, it immediately pointed toward the campfire.
"So you did it because we lit a fire at night?"
"What kind of...!"
The White Tiger Tower students flared up in anger.
Of course, from the spirit's perspective, it might have been displeased by intruders cooking over an open flame and spreading food smells around.
But to resort to attacking instead of giving a proper warning first?
No matter how you looked at it, that was an excessively violent reaction!
The water spirit shook its entire body in flustered denial, indicating it had been misunderstood.
The spirit pointed at the campfire, then at the scorch marks, and finally at Lee Han's staff.
Though the other two still didn't understand, Lee Han immediately grasped the meaning.
'Hmm. It's angry because I burned the surroundings.'
The flames he'd unleashed while fighting the undead summons had scorched the area, muddying the nearby water.
As a water spirit resting there, it couldn't help but be furious.
"What's the spirit saying, Wardanaz?"
"It's sincerely apologizing for its narrow-minded behavior."
"Hmph. ...I might forgive it."
"Right. After all, it's a spirit we're dealing with."
The two White Tiger Tower students decided to generously show mercy.
Unlike undead, spirits were difficult to treat harshly. Especially water spirits.
Sensing the conversation was taking an odd turn, the spirit stared intently at Lee Han.
Lee Han pretended not to notice and ignored it.
Though not one of the Skeleton Principal's subordinates, the water spirit had witnessed his arrival on the island from afar.
Following the spirit's guidance, Lee Han asked:
"What exact spell did the Headmaster use?"
Lee Han couldn't possibly know all of the Skeleton Principal's magic, but having some advance knowledge would make things much easier.
Though unable to speak, the spirit puffed up and transformed its body enthusiastically to explain.
'A grave? A seal? A lock?'
It first shaped itself into a small grave, then created several ribbon-like formations representing seals, and finally something resembling a padlock.
Lee Han began vaguely grasping what the spirit meant.
'The Headmaster locked it away.'
There was only one thing that would be locked away.
The Outing Pass.
'Whatever happens when we approach it wouldn't be surprising at all.'
Lee Han closed his eyes, straining to imagine the Headmaster's thought process.
If I were the Headmaster, how would I have set this up?
'Create a trial dungeon beneath the sand dunes, with the Outing Pass waiting at the end for those who clear it. That sounds exactly like something the Headmaster would do.'
And locking that final location would be even more characteristic of him.
After suffering through all manner of hardships in the underground sand dungeon and barely escaping through combined efforts, how despairing would it be to find the Outing Pass locked away at the very end?
The perfect scenario to delight the Headmaster.
"Wardanaz, over there!"
Angoroth whispered in an alarmed voice.
Beyond where the water spirit had stopped moving stood the very place the Headmaster had created.
A small but ancient-looking structure built of stone.
For some reason, Lee Han thought it resembled a temple.
Stone stairs leading underground (likely connecting to the underground sand dungeon). Large hollow stone pillars arranged geometrically in all directions. And at the center, an altar.
Though what lay within the altar wasn't a sacrificial offering, but the Outing Pass.
'How should I send these two in first?'
Lee Han pondered how to get Angoroth and Dukema to enter ahead of him.
To uncover the Headmaster's trap, they needed a sacrificial lamb—no, a vanguard.
"Wardanaz. I'll go first."
"Angrago. Are you insulting me now? I'll go first."
"Duke Mar. This situation is my fault. It's because I angered the water spirit."
"Angrago. You've already fulfilled your duty by building and steering the boat. In comparison, I've done nothing. If I don't step up now, my honor as a knight—"
Lee Han yawned. Then he flipped a coin.
Clink.
"Heads. Angrago Alpha. You go."
"...Uh, uh-huh."
Angrago walked forward with a somewhat dazed expression.
He had originally intended to go first for the injured Wardanaz, but why did he feel so unsettled?
'Come at me if you dare!'
Swallowing his grim resolve, Angrago surveyed his surroundings.
Even as a scion of a knightly family, he had grown up hearing about magical traps.
Angrago was prepared to endure whatever trap might be triggered.
Yet no trap activated.
Not when he stepped onto the perfectly fitted stone floor.
Not when he passed between the stone pillars and reached the altar.
Lee Han was slightly surprised by this.
'Did that damn Skeleton Principal... set it to trigger only when two people step up?'
The absence of a trap was unsettling in its own way.
Lee Han was also focusing his full attention, probing for any traces of magic or mana in the surroundings.
But he sensed nothing.
Either there truly was nothing, or the Headmaster's skill was so overwhelming that Lee Han couldn't detect it.
'Probably the latter.'
In truth, there really was no trap. When it came to sensory perception, Lee Han could trust himself—even the professors and the Headmaster had praised him for it before.
But Lee Han refused to believe that.
No way!
The Headmaster must have done something!
"Wardanaz. There's... something written here by the Headmaster."
"What does it say? Does it say the trap is about to start?"
"No. Not that."
-Congratulations on making it this far, little freshmen. You may have been startled by this sudden trial, but all of this is part of the process to nurture you young mages.
'Disgustingly kind.'
Lee Han thought to himself. The Skeleton Principal's kindness only made him feel more unnerved.
-On your way here, you freshmen must have learned how to cooperate with friends from different towers. Now, use what you've learned for one final collaboration! If you place someone inside the stone pillar, the seal on the altar containing the Outing Pass will lift!
The three turned their heads to look. The massive stone pillars were hollow, spacious enough to fit a person with room to spare.
If they were to shove someone inside and trap them there...
Wouldn't that distance them from the Outing Pass, regardless of whether the altar opened?
"This is absurd! There must be another way!"
Duke Mar exploded in anger.
As a knightly scion, he couldn't accept a trap that would separate students who had worked so hard together to overcome the trial. There had to be another way!
'Probably not.'
In contrast, Lee Han remained calm.
This was exactly the kind of thing the Skeleton Principal would love—no surprise at all.
Even if many join forces, only one can claim the prize! If you resent it, grow stronger and...
'Blah blah blah, typical nonsense.'
Lee Han pondered.
Should he subdue Duke Mar first, or Angrago?
Originally, if only two had reached the altar, Lee Han would've been at a disadvantage.
And wasn't he currently injured in one arm?
To win, he had to strike before the White Tower bastards attacked.
"Wardanaz!"
Duke Mar suddenly shouted. Lee Han froze.
'Did he notice?'
"Stop Angrago!"
"!"
Lifting his head, Lee Han saw Angrago sprinting toward the stone pillar.
For a moment, he hesitated—should he stop him, or pretend he couldn't and let it happen?