Episode 476
Episode 476
Professor Verdus looked at him with pity.
"Can't even breathe? Baby?"
"Huff, gasp. Shut up!"
Kettle snapped at Professor Verdus while trying to steady his breathing.
Who would've thought he'd get shortness of breath like some freshman who just entered Einrogard?
It was embarrassing, but Kettle had his reasons.
'Anyone who saw that scene would've gotten shortness of breath.'
A first-year student who was supposed to be receiving character education from the Skeleton Principal was waging war in the deep punishment room with an army of spirits.
...Even by Einrogard's standards where anything was possible, this was too much.
"Aren't you shocked by that, Professor!? A first-year! A first-year blockhead came all the way here!"
"Not shocked? He said he came to rescue me."
"...!"
Only then did Kettle remember that the first-year had recognized and called out to Professor Verdus earlier.
The scene had been so shocking that he'd erased it from his mind.
"I told you. He'd come."
Professor Verdus spoke as if stating something as obvious as the sun rising and the moon setting.
Kettle stared blankly at this before collecting himself and thinking:
'Ah.'
He finally understood.
That freshman...
'Is being deceived!'
He didn't know exactly how the freshman was being tricked by Professor Verdus, but Kettle made a decision.
Perhaps it was fate that he remained imprisoned in this cell even after graduation.
To prevent a talented freshman mage from having his life ruined by Professor Verdus's deception!
'I'll definitely stop this...!'
Kettle gritted his teeth.
He planned to persuade the freshman when he returned to the cell.
That he didn't need to rescue Professor Verdus.
That he was being deceived right now!
This was the sacred duty any graduate should fulfill.
Come at me! Kuhahahaha! I said come at me!
As if releasing long-pent-up frustration from working under the Skeleton Principal, Perkuntra taunted the fleeing spirits.
Then one of the spirit attendants Perkuntra had summoned, wielding refined lightning, paused mid-swing and looked back.
It charged forward again, swung, then paused once more to look back.
"?"
?
Both Lee Han and Perkuntra were puzzled.
"Why is it doing that?"
Why is it doing that?
■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■.
......
Perkuntra suddenly fell silent like a bee-stung mute.
Curious, Lee Han asked:
"What did you say?"
...That borrowing your contractor's mana to win and then acting so arrogantly is unbecoming of a sovereign...
"......"
Seeing how ashamed Perkuntra looked, Lee Han decided to help.
After all, wasn't this his contracted spirit?
"That's too harsh! Borrowing mana from your contracted mage is something any contracted being has every right to do!"
Of course, taking sides didn't erase Perkuntra's shame. Perkuntra resolved to stop taunting enemies and act more composed.
"Shall I tell that insolent spirit to leave?"
Enough... my mistake.
A slightly humbled Perkuntra calmly declared.
You should understand by now. No matter how you prepared your nest first, you can't win this situation! My mana is infinite...
■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■.
'Not mine but my contractor's?'
Lee Han somehow felt like he'd learned a bit of Spirit Language.
...My contractor's mana is infinite... and resisting using terrain advantages is meaningless. Come out! There's no need to exhaust your other subordinates any longer.
Suddenly, everything grew quiet.
From the end of the punishment room passage that had been raging with water moments ago—now so dry it was hard to believe—an intense power erupted.
A massive watery entity slowly revealed itself.
Even standing still, the slow flow of fluid within it radiated extraordinary power.
'That's the leader of this flood!'
Lee Han knew instinctively.
The spirit before them was indeed the one who had caused this flood.
'So you've finally shown yourself.'
Perkuntra coldly glared ahead and spoke.
"Are you satisfied now? The whole world's become a watery hell. You must be pleased after unleashing this much."
"Not... at all! The spirits who summoned me demand far worse!"
The opposing spirit answered in a slow, dripping voice that echoed unnaturally.
"The wrath accumulated by these mages... summoned me! How could one enslaved by mages like you possibly understand that fury?"
"...I was trying to show mercy, but you dare—!"
Perkuntra grew incandescent with rage at the spirit hitting his sore spot.
In an instant, his form swelled, and lightning began flashing amidst clouds forming near the punishment room's ceiling.
Not to be outdone, the opposing spirit summoned its own tempest, pushing back Perkuntra's storm clouds while flooding the corridor floor.
"Everyone stand aside. I'll handle this myself!"
As if declaring he needed no help from lesser spirits, Perkuntra forcefully cleared space on both sides.
The punishment corridor's dimensions stretched and warped unnaturally, as if space itself were screaming in protest. Yet even this expanded arena felt cramped compared to the battle about to unfold.
Beneath Einrogard, lightning clashed against the sea.
"Where does some nameless wretch get the audacity to refuse my generous offer?"
"You thought I'd fall for your tricks... you slave of the Archmage!"
"?"
While Lee Han was thinking, 'What trick? When did Perkuntra use one?' the spirit shrieked:
"Hiding an Archmage nearby while pretending to negotiate... Even the lowliest spirit wouldn't fall for such deception!"
"......"
"......"
Both Perkuntra and Lee Han were momentarily speechless.
"No..."
"That's a student, you blithering idiot who can't see with eyes or hear with ears!"
"That's a student here!"
But their shouts fell on deaf ears.
Perkuntra was dumbfounded.
To think his glorious reputation was being ignored because of the Skeleton Principal's infamy.
No—it wasn't even that.
This fool was just too stupid to tell the difference!
"Silence... Useless!"
'I'm going to lose my mind.'
"I am the Tribune of the Great Sea and Rainstorms! By my name and power, I summon the tempest!"
"Daring to summon storms before the Master of Thunder and Lightning?"
The two spirits clashed again.
The opposing spirit morphed from its rounded form into the shape of a mighty warrior.
"The mages... kept polluting our waters... defiling our lands... Now you'll pay the price of wrath!"
"......"
Lee Han felt oddly penitent despite having done nothing wrong.
Just how disastrously had the seniors conducted experiments at Einrogard to accumulate this much spirit wrath?
'Well, seeing chimeras and slimes roaming around, they definitely weren't properly managed.'
Perkuntra snorted before deflecting the spirit's weapon and impaling it with lightning.
"Pathetic tricks!"
The spirit's form rippled violently as a shockwave of power erupted. Even from a distance, one could tell it had taken massive damage.
Perkuntra pressed the assault.
This battle between transcendent beings of different dimensions bore no resemblance to mage duels. Striking the walls once, Perkuntra tore out metal and wove it with lightning, forging a seething Vajra.
With brutal consecutive strikes, chunks of the spirit's form were ripped away.
The battered spirit barely escaped by splitting and reforming its body.
"!"
Then its gaze locked onto Lee Han.
"......"
Initially mistaking him for the Skeleton Principal, the spirit began adopting a defensive stance before hesitating at Lee Han's different appearance.
"...Eh?"
"I'm a student."
Lee Han stated firmly.
"No... trickery..."
"I'm not undead."
"Die!"
BAM!
Perkuntra slammed the confused spirit straight into the wall.
A cell shattered with a deafening crash as the spirit was embedded deep into the structure.
"Wait! I was negotiating!"
"Negotiate what? Just banish it already!"
"He's already severely injured, so we can resolve this through words now."
The wounds were inflicted by me!
The words calling him the Skeleton Principal's slave had left a deeper wound on Perkuntra than any physical attack.
Though Perkuntra kept grumbling and crackling with energy, he finally stopped his relentless assault.
...I apologize for ignoring your proposal earlier.
The opposing spirit, who had been deeply embedded in the wall, emerged and bowed in apology.
It had finally regained its senses and accepted that its opponent wasn't the Skeleton Principal.
Lee Han responded graciously.
"We might have gone a bit too far as well."
What nonsense!
Perkuntra twitched as if about to explode, but Lee Han ignored him and continued.
"If you're willing, how about ending the Spirit Flood and returning now? Of course, I understand the spirits' anger, but the longer this flood continues, the more extreme measures the mages will resort to. It might be best to wrap things up at this point..."
The opposing spirit silently nodded.
Once defeated, the loser has no right to argue. I can only express gratitude for your mercy.
Lee Han let out a sigh of relief.
This seemed like a decent resolution.
There was no need to sacrifice Gainando as an offering, nor forcibly reverse-summon the spirits enraged by Einrogard's students.
Sure, the Headmaster's punishment room had taken some damage, but...
'This wasn't my fault. It was unavoidable.'
May I ask the mage's name?
The spirit inquired with respect.
Even the most violent and wrathful spirits couldn't help but feel gratitude in such a situation.
To show restraint and mediate when they could have finished things brutally...
"Lee Han."
Lee Han... Lee Han. I will remember that name. By any chance, do you have any water-affiliated spirits among your contracted ones?
"...No."
Lee Han felt slightly awkward.
Is this a joke?
'They all run away when they see me...'
Do you dislike water spirits?
"...No, it's just that spirits tend to avoid me when they see me."
Ah.
The spirit immediately understood.
Unless they were powerful beings like Perkuntra or itself—those who had accumulated numerous achievements and feats—the oppressive aura of Lee Han's mana was unbearable for weaker spirits.
"......"
......
......
As the air grew awkward, Perkuntra glared at the spirit.
This tactless fool...
Sensing the discomfort, the spirit quickly changed the subject.
If you don't mind, I'd like to offer you a gift.
"Oh. Anything would be appreciated."
Lee Han's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
A spirit's blessing was always a rare and valuable gift.
And considering this was a spirit capable of causing such a massive flood...
What would be suitable... For a mage, especially a young one, how about the ability to freely manipulate the shape of water?
"...That's fine."
Lee Han declined.
Because he could already do that!
If you were going to give me something, you should've done it before Professor Voladi beat me up...
Oh, is that so? Then perhaps the ability to turn water into vapor...
"I can already do that too..."
......
The spirit visibly flustered.
After several moments of contemplation, it finally seemed to recall something appropriate and spoke again.
Fwoosh—
A new spirit sigil etched itself onto the back of Lee Han's hand. The spirit spoke in a friendly tone.
My true name is Uphinum. Uphinum. I will never forget the mercy you showed today, mage.
"Wait, could you at least tell me what ability this—"
Before Lee Han could finish, Uphinum, seemingly satisfied, reverse-summoned itself.
Lee Han couldn't help but suspect that the spirit had hastily bestowed the gift and fled to avoid any further awkwardness.
"Professor? Are you there?"
As Lee Han returned, Verdus shouted as if he had been waiting.
"Open the door already!"
"Yes. Just a moment."
"Wait!!"
Kettle bellowed loudly.
"Hold on, you're being deceived!"
"Huh?"
"You're being tricked by Professor Verdus! Professor Verdus isn't worth saving! You're being played right now!"
"......"
Lee Han was at a loss for words.
Because...
'I'm the one who got locked up for stealing...'
"I get that you have unbelievably incredible magical talent. I also get that you're unbelievably kind-hearted. But wake up! You're being deceived right now!"
"I'm not being deceived!"
Professor Verdus protested as if offended.
Lee Han and the professor shared a respectful student-teacher relationship.
How dare he say such things.
"What will you give me if I let you out?!"
"Huh?"
"I said, what will you give the freshman if I let you out?!"
"The opportunity to work in my workshop?"
"...You little bastard!"