Episode 515
Episode 515
"Yes, I understand."
At Lee Han's reply, Coholti looked at his junior with eyes sparkling with affection.
'Where else would you find such a considerate junior? There wouldn't be another junior like this in any other school or faction.'
"It's not that I'm rushing you about Diret... Actually, I am a bit scared, but still... I'm sorry."
I'll find a way to repay you."
"Haha, no need. It's only natural as your senior, isn't it?"
Lee Han answered without missing a beat.
While Coholti was moved, his eyes shining brightly, another student passed by them sideways.
'Who is that?'
There was only one reason someone would be heading toward the Healing Mages' tents right now—
The injured from the Mad Festival.
But the student walking past looked perfectly fine. Moreover, they had been floating around until just this afternoon.
'Where have I seen them before? I haven't met that many seniors...'
Lee Han soon realized who the passing student was.
"Senior, weren't you from the Enchantment Magic faction?"
It was Anpagon, the Enchantment Magic senior who had prepared the midterm exams in place of Professor Verdus last time.
"Huh? Yeah, why?"
"You looked perfectly fine on the outside, so I was wondering why you were heading to the Healing Mages' tents."
"Probably internal injuries. Maybe my stomach, liver, or spleen turned to stone?"
Lee Han took a subtle step back at the senior's horrifying words, delivered without a single change in expression.
Unaware of this, Coholti chattered away enthusiastically, trying to win his junior's favor.
"...That's how I managed to steal the bones. Fun, right?"
"Ah, yes."
"Right? I knew you'd find it interesting. Actually, bones aren't just used in Bone Elemental Magic—they're also used in curses. Curse magic is one of the least researched areas in Black Magic, but that's exactly what makes it fascinating... Oh, speaking of internal organs, do you know about the parasites that eat hearts?"
True to his reputation as the most sociable member of the Enchantment Magic faction, the Healing Mages recognized Anpagon the moment he arrived at the tents.
"Ah, you're... um... Enchantment Magic... what was your name again?"
"Oh, Senior... um... Enchantment Magic... what was your name?"
Anpagon remained unfazed and answered calmly.
"Anpagon."
"My apologies."
"No need. We came to this school to learn our respective magics, not to memorize each other's names. Aren't we mages who devote ourselves to our craft instead of wasting time on trivialities?"
At Anpagon's words, the Healing Mages gave him looks of respect—
No, actually, they gave him awkward stares.
'Who does this guy think he is, putting himself on the same level as us?'
'Do we look the same as those guys from your faction?'
The Healing Mages, who participated in every dirty task the school threw at them, and the Enchantment Mages, who would keep crafting artifacts in their workshops even if the school collapsed—they were absolutely not the same.
"So... why are you here?"
"Did you injure your internal organs or something? You look fine."
"Isn't there a junior from the Wardanaz family here? I heard there was a first-year."
"......"
The Healing Magic students were baffled.
For even the notoriously unsociable Enchantment Magic faction to come looking for him—just what was going on?
"Why are you looking for him?"
"I was hoping to borrow his help, if possible."
"You're not here to borrow mana, are you?"
"What? Are you insulting me right now?"
Anpagon frowned and shot back.
He might be unsociable, but he wasn't foolish enough to let an insult slide.
The Healing Magic students awkwardly apologized.
"Sorry."
"Our apologies. We've had people coming to borrow mana before."
'What a ridiculous excuse,' Anpagon thought scornfully, but he didn't call them out. It would be a waste of time.
"I came because I thought I could get some help with crafting a composite artifact. But he doesn't seem to be here."
The healing magic students awkwardly apologized.
"Sorry."
"We apologize. There was someone who came to borrow mana."
'What a ridiculous excuse,' Anpagon thought contemptuously but didn't point it out. It would be a waste of time.
"We came to ask for help in creating a composite artifact. But it seems you're not available."
"Um, he stepped out for a moment after another senior called him."
"Oh? Just missed him, then. Which academic branch?"
"Black Magic."
"Black Magic...? Ah, right. He was taking that too. What did they need help with?"
Anpagon highly valued Lee Han's artifact crafting abilities.
Even when producing the same artifact, his ability to significantly enhance its performance—even omitting certain structural elements—was something any artifact craftsman would covet.
For composite artifacts that combined multiple artifacts to amplify their power, his skills would prove even more formidable.
It was only possible due to his innate intellect, sensitivity to mana, and sheer mana capacity combined.
So impressed was Anpagon that he hadn't even mentioned it to others in his academic branch.
"......"
"......"
"?"
As the healing magic students exchanged glances and fell silent, Anpagon grew puzzled.
"Must be some kind of secret, then. Understood."
"Ah, no... um."
"W-well, yes. It's a secret."
* * *
Upon arriving at the spot where the relic was placed, Coholti suddenly felt regret.
His momentarily scattered focus had returned.
'No matter how urgent this is, is it really right to borrow a junior's mana to activate a relic??'
"Senior, is this it?"
"Huh? Y-yeah."
"Should I just pour mana into this?"
Well, yes, but wait a sec—
WOOOOOOM!
The relic, which had stubbornly refused to budge no matter how much mana was forced into it or how many potions were used as supplements, suddenly began emitting light and sound.
Seeing this, Coholti's mind slipped away again, and the instincts of a mage took over his brain.
"Yes! Exactly like that!! You're doing great!"
"The relic looks unusual."
"Huh? Ancient relics are usually like this."
The relic resembled a clothing storage trunk—an "eui-jang".
It was so mundane-looking that it seemed strange to call it a relic associated with Black Magic.
"Using everyday objects reduces the risk of theft or burglary, and even if something happens, it's less problematic. The appearance doesn't matter."
"I see."
Lee Han continued pouring mana without pause.
Compared to other spells, charging a relic was so easy and straightforward it was almost boring.
All he had to do was pour mana into it.
In fact, even before Coholti finished speaking, the eui-jang trembled and glowed, as if it were about to burst open any second.
"It's done already, isn't it?"
"No way it's already... It's actually done?!"
Coholti was stunned.
He had doubted it would work, but it really was complete!
"Thank you so much, junior. I'll repay this favor, I swear! Oh, wait—watch me summon something before you go!"
Coholti chanted an incantation and opened the lid of the eui-jang.
As the trembling lid lifted, the light vanished, and a brief silence followed.
Then, from within, a chilling whistle sounded as a ghostly army began pouring out.
"It worked! It worked!! See?!"
"Senior."
"Want to try controlling them? Hold on! I'll teach you the command phrases—"
"Ah, no, I actually left in the middle of healing, so I should get back now. May I go?"
"..."
Can't you stay just a little longer? It hasn't fully manifested yet, but once it does—"
Coholti, though he felt pathetic, couldn't bring himself to let Lee Han leave so easily.
* * *
"What the hell? Are those Black Magic guys insane? How did they summon something like that?"
"Do they have money to burn? Damn it. If I'd known they had that kind of funding, I would've raided their place."
The students of Einrogard, gathered in the area, naturally noticed the anomaly.
The summoning of a Black Magic relic, accompanied by an intense mana surge.
There was no telling where they had procured that much mana.
Surely they hadn't recklessly filled it with a mage's own mana—they must've mobilized every expensive reagent available...
But how had they even obtained those?
Surrounded by countless summons, Coholti sat with an imposing air. The sight sent shivers down the students' spines.
'It's not easy to feel chills from Black Magic, but...'
"'Are those guys pushing themselves too hard??'
'Impressive. That'll leave a strong impression.'
One might argue that showing off at such a festival only leaves you with meaningless pride.
But that wasn't the case.
For one, even meaningless pride was quite important (especially to the top students)...
For students of various schools, it was an opportunity to promote their own school and demonstrate the superiority of their magic to others.
That ghost army must have left a strong impression of the Black Magic school.
'Well, even if it did, they probably won't actually learn Black Magic.'
'They'll just find it fascinating.'
The students didn't particularly care.
Black Magic wasn't something they needed to worry about, even if it made a splash.
Kwooooooo—
"?!"
"What the hell is that?"
However, the story was a bit different for schools other than Black Magic.
When An Pagorn, a third-year Enchantment Magic student, brought out a composite artifact resembling a ballista, everyone was stunned.
How did they complete such a complex artifact in such a short time?
"What's that? Did everyone except me prepare something to show off their magic at the festival? When did they even have time to throw rocks?"
"How many pieces is that combined? Looks like dozens..."
"Did they make it in advance and just bring it out?"
"No. That's impossible. At that level, it must've been assembled on the spot... How?"
Even Coholti was astonished by the Enchantment Magic school's result.
'What? How did they make that?'
Though he had borrowed power that bordered on cheating, his opponent seemed to have made it alone.
It seemed there was a genius in the Enchantment Magic school that even Coholti hadn't known about.
'...Hmph, doesn't matter. Our school has a genius no less impressive than that guy.'
Coholti resolved not to envy other schools...
Though, admittedly, that junior was affiliated with every school, but still...
* * *
"Guess it's starting now."
Lee Han, who had returned, sat inside the tent with the Healing Magic students, watching the dimensional rift.
The atmosphere was uneasy, but since the rock-throwing had stopped, there was actually less to do.
'Hmm, every time something like this happens, it'd be nice if something got summoned.'
Lee Han made a rather horrifying thought to himself as he observed the dimensional rift.
Of course, the seniors would have to suffer for it, but that wasn't Lee Han's problem.
Just like when the Frost Giant appeared, or when the spirit absorption incident happened—the seniors hadn't done anything for him then either.
"The heat of war awakens me."
Lee Han suddenly turned his head at the unfamiliar voice.
The Healing Magic seniors were munching on honey-glazed fried rice cakes, chatting about which side the summoning would appear from.
'What? Is that the headmaster?'
"The heat of war awakens me!!!"
Only then did Lee Han realize the source of the voice.
Surprisingly, it was coming from inside the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons.
"The heat of war awakens me!! Hand me a weapon, that I may sever the heads of my enemies and claim their blood!"
Lee Han instinctively glanced at the seniors gathered to throw rocks.
Could it be that, deep in his subconscious, he had wanted to behead those seniors?
'...Surely not.'
"Hand me a weapon... Wait—"
The voice seemed to regain its senses belatedly.
The Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons was a place where demons, defeated by the Ghoul King, were sealed.
It was only natural that demons, sealed for so long in such a place, would be confused about their identity and memories.
The now-lucid demon bombarded Lee Han with questions.
Where was this? What kind of mage was he? How had he obtained it? And was a war about to break out right now?
"......It's not a war, it's a festival."
"War is but another name for festival!"
"No, just a festival..."
"Blood and suffering, screams call to me! Fear me! I am Anpursas!"
In an instant, the bracelet flared up, branding Lee Han's wrist with a new sigil.
A sigil that acted as a passage, allowing the demon Anpursas to move freely between the inside and outside of the bracelet.
Realizing too late what the sigil was, Lee Han panicked and tried to close it.
Leaving such a sigil open could allow demons to escape the bracelet without permission.
But it was already too late.
Anpursas, having slipped through the passage, seized a part of Lee Han's body and began roaring at the top of his lungs.
"I will not return until you grant me the chance to fight!"