Episode 286
Episode 286
'This is strange?'
Gainando as a sacrifice?
No matter how much hardship changes a person, could it really change someone this much?
Yoner tilted his head in confusion. Lee Han didn't give his friend time to ponder.
"We need to move quickly. Yoner! There's no time!"
"Ah... right. That's true. Yeah!"
Gainando's charge was far more effective than expected.
Whether it was because the curse magic was particularly effective or because his arrogant sprint irritated the monster, the Sand Octopus rose from its steadfast position guarding the turnaround point and began chasing Gainando.
Even the Lightning Step professor, who had initially thought 'I'm sure I told them not to attack the Sand Octopus!', couldn't help but be impressed.
He'd actually managed to lure out that Sand Octopus!
"Provocation is a skill too. Well done!"
Gainando's words flew out as he ran like a madman, dodging the legs of the pursuing Sand Octopus.
"Save me!!"
"What's Gainando saying?"
"Can't hear him! Ask later and run!"
"Now's our chance, friends!!"
Not only Lee Han's group but other tower students who'd been watching for an opportunity all urged their horses forward at full speed.
Preparing for any unexpected situations, Lee Han cast magic on his friends' horses.
"Be fulfilled!"
The horses affected by Ogonin's Full Satisfaction maintained their composure despite the sand-filled winds blowing from all directions.
Pffh-hng!
Ponlig snorted as if complaining why he hadn't been included.
"Run! It's dangerous if that thing comes back!"
Clip-clop clip-clop!
A dead heat unfolding from all sides.
Since the student who reached the turnaround point first would receive higher scores, the competition was fierce to the point of being brutal.
Thud!
Lee Han collided with a Black Turtle Tower student charging from the side. Ponlig let out a growl filled with anger.
"Endure it, Ponlig."
"Wardanaz. You won't call me cowardly, right? Since it's a competition, I won't back down!"
"Understood."
Lee Han immediately swung his staff and launched a Water Orb.
The Black Turtle Tower student, who never imagined someone could cast magic while sprinting at full speed, was eliminated on the spot.
Pffh-hing...?!
Even while running at full speed, Ponlig was flabbergasted.
I can't attack, but my master can? What kind of logic is that?
Gainando, who returned late, shook his sand-covered clothes and shouted.
"Hey you cowardly bas—"
"I'm impressed. Luring the monster alone for your friends' sake."
The Lightning Step professor spoke with admiration in his voice. Gainando immediately responded.
"...It was difficult, but as a member of the imperial family, I considered it a noble duty I must fulfill."
'He definitely learned that from Lee Han.'
Yoner thought to himself while watching Gainando.
Whatever else might be said, he'd never been that quick-witted before.
When he thought about who could have influenced him like this, only one name came to mind.
"Thank you, Gainando."
"We passed thanks to you!"
"I never knew you had such sacrificial spirit!"
Students from other towers swarmed around to express their gratitude.
Having single-handedly drawn out the Sand Octopus, it was impossible not to be grateful. Even students who usually disliked him for being unpleasant came to thank him.
Gainando looked around at his friends with an emotionally overwhelmed expression, then nodded and replied.
"It wasn't an easy choice."
"But what were you saying earlier?"
"I was asking you to take care of things after I'm gone."
"Was it really that long of a phrase...?"
While Gainando chattered in the background, Lee Han checked his score with the Lightning Step professor.
"Perfect score."
"Thank you, Professor."
"No need for lengthy explanations, you all did well... One thing I'm curious about—why did you mistake the Sand Octopus for a Hydra earlier?"
Lee Han hesitated.
After brief contemplation, he answered.
"I heard Professor Thunder Step brought a Hydra."
"What? Really?"
The Lightning Step professor seemed genuinely surprised.
Lee Han's head spun at the realization that even the professor hadn't known.
'What the hell?'
"If that's true, then he managed to bring one quite skillfully. They were rare to begin with, but these days they must be even harder to obtain. Should I ask to see it?"
"You didn't know about it either, Professor?"
"Didn't hear a thing. Probably didn't want to bother getting advice from me."
As a renowned explorer of the empire, Professor Lightning Step was exceptionally skilled at handling all sorts of monsters and animals.
Naturally, if Professor Thunder Step had brought a hydra, he'd been fully prepared to offer all kinds of advice on raising it.
"Do you have any idea why Professor Thunder Step might have brought one?"
"Hmm? It's not like I need to know everything about him. Probably needed it for potion research, no?"
Mages fundamentally didn't take much interest in anything outside their own research.
Even if Professor Thunder Step had secretly brought a hydra, that was his business, not Professor Lightning Step's.
Though he was admittedly a little concerned about whether the hydra was being properly cared for...
"Is there any chance the hydra might be involved in the final exam?"
Even as he asked, Lee Han hoped Professor Lightning Step would reply with something like 'What nonsense is that?' or 'That's ridiculous.'
"Oh! I hadn't considered that."
But Professor Lightning Step looked at Lee Han as if he'd just had a brilliant idea.
"That could very well be the case."
"......"
Lee Han sighed inwardly.
'I should've ambushed him the day he brought the hydra.'
Who knew carelessness would cost him like this!
Professor Thunder Step stood with arms crossed, waiting for students with a triumphant expression.
"You here?"
"Good afternoon, Professor."
"Today's exam might just destroy your soul."
"......"
"Good luck!"
The student who entered glared at him before leaving, but Professor Thunder Step paid no mind.
He was too intoxicated by the exam he'd created.
A final exam crafted with painstaking effort, teetering right at the edge of what the Skeleton Principal might call 'Isn't this a bit too much?'
This would shatter the arrogant souls of those freshmen who, after completing midterms or pre-final assignments, dared think 'I think I'm starting to understand alchemy now.'
"Good afternoon, Professor."
Lee Han entered with a stiff expression. Professor Thunder Step nodded back.
Here came the student who'd forced him to raise the exam difficulty after acing an assignment meant to be impossible to perfect.
Judging by his rigid face, the student seemed to have sensed his impending fate.
"This exam will be considerably harder than the last."
"I figured as much."
Lee Han replied while suppressing a sigh.
He couldn't for the life of him understand why professors acted this way.
Wasn't it a good thing when students performed well?
'If they did well because you taught them well, why would your pride take a hit?'
"Exactly. Heh heh heh..."
"......"
Professor Thunder Step laughed so gleefully that he completely forgot the possibility of this student returning to assassinate him after graduation.
Lee Han stared blankly at him, resolving to ambush him in a mask one night.
'Just how does he plan to use that hydra?'
He'd discussed it with friends beforehand and on the way here, but he still couldn't guess.
-Maybe we have to hunt the hydra and use its venom as potion ingredients?
-Are you insane?! No way. At the very least, we'd have to subdue or negotiate with it to borrow the venom.
-That's still plenty insane.
-C-couldn't the exam have nothing to do with the hydra? That's possible, right?
-Are you even an Einrogard mage? How can you think so naively?
-It's almost certain we'll have to extract ingredients from the hydra.
-Maybe the hydra will be guarding the ingredients...
"I'm prepared. Please just tell me."
"Alright. Let's begin."
Professor Thunderstep walked forward.
The students waited with bated breath, their gazes a mix of tension and anticipation as they watched for the professor's next move.
Just what kind of exam was this?
Giolla's Cinnabar Potion
Irujunden's Night Mist Potion
Aurum's Soul Amplification Potion
Dobruk's Sulfur-Mercury Potion
...
...
The blackboard was filled to the brim with the names of potions.
Among them, many were potions they had never even heard of before.
Professor Thunderstep, clearly enjoying the overwhelmed reactions of the students, spoke.
"You won't be choosing just one of these. Before today's lecture ends, you must submit as many of these potions as possible."
Each and every one of them was labor-intensive and finicky to brew.
Some couldn't even be made without combining other potions first.
In short, it was a list of potions deliberately chosen because they seemed impossible to complete in the given time!
This was an exam designed to break them.
Professor Thunderstep grinned and turned his gaze to Lee Han. Even his outstanding student seemed flustered, hesitating for once.
"Professor?"
"What's the matter? If you have questions, ask away."
"Will the Hydra not be appearing?"
"The Hydra? What... No, wait! How did you—?!"
Professor Thunderstep was startled.
He had secretly brought it in at night to avoid being seen by the other professors—especially Professor Lightning Step—so how had Lee Han found out?
"I happened to witness it."
"You golden fool... Fine. If you've already seen it, there's no helping it. I had to steel myself and spend a fortune to buy it. Might need your help taking care of it later."
He had wanted a steady supply of Hydra venom, but fully-grown Hydras were far too expensive and difficult to manage.
So, reluctantly, Professor Thunderstep had settled for buying a juvenile Hydra.
If raised properly, it would eventually produce venom of comparable potency.
"Is that all?"
"What? Are you seriously suspecting me of smuggling it in secretly to deceive others? Absolutely not! Everything was done with proper permission!"
Professor Thunderstep spoke firmly, worried Lee Han might get the wrong idea.
There was no way he could have hidden bringing a Hydra into the academy from the Skeleton Principal.
"That's not what I meant..."
"?"
"Will the Hydra not be part of the exam?"
"Why would the Hydra be part of the exam?"
Professor Thunderstep stared at Lee Han as if he were speaking nonsense.
Why would a Hydra appear in a first-year Alchemy exam? That was utterly ridiculous.
"...Ah, you're right."
"See?"
Lee Han nodded in understanding and returned to his seat.
Only then did Professor Thunderstep realize that, in discussing the Hydra, he had missed hearing Lee Han's thoughts on the exam itself.
'Damn. What a shame.'
He had really wanted to see his students kneel before the profundity and grandeur of Alchemy, humbled by their own inadequacy...
Tap tap tap—
Lee Han swiftly pulled potions from his bag and lined them up.
Each one was notoriously difficult to brew.
And not a single one was of subpar quality. They looked as though they had been crafted with the utmost care by a master alchemist.
'No...?!'
Professor Thunderstep was stunned.
He had suspected Lee Han might have procured some potions from outside, but he had assumed it would be, at most, two or three extra bottles.
How could a student—with no means of smuggling and no gold to spare—have so many?
While the professor stood speechless in shock, Lee Han methodically continued his work.
He lit a fire beneath the cauldron and began brewing the potions he could make with the ingredients he had on hand...
'What luck.'
He had been worried about how the Hydra might appear and wreak havoc, but it turned out to be completely irrelevant.
Thanks to that, the exam wasn't all that difficult.
Hadn't he stockpiled all sorts of potions in preparation for something like this?
After combining three completed potions and waving his wand, Irujunden's Night Mist Potion was complete.
"Truly a relief, isn't it? That the Hydra didn't show up. I was so worried, but now I can relax."
"Lee Han. The professor is glaring at you."
Yornell whispered after noticing Professor Thunderstep's piercing gaze.
The professor was so shocked that even the tips of his beard were trembling.