Chapter 43: Thunderbird Subjugation (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 43: Thunderbird Subjugation (1)
Isaac was something of a celebrity within the Magic Department—though for all the wrong reasons.
Assigned to Class D with Grade E mana, he had bottomed out the placement evaluations with a score so abysmal it seemed intentional. Among the first-years, he was ranked at the absolute bottom of the barrel.
He was, without question, the weakest student in the Magic Department.
But things had changed. Now, if you stopped any student and asked if Isaac was still the weakest, they would hesitate.
During the duel evaluation, he had successfully cast 5-star magic. Even if it was a low-tier spell, only a handful of first-years could claim such a feat. Isaac, the boy everyone had written off, had pulled it off.
His growth rate was nothing short of incredible.
Even so, that didn't necessarily make him "special" in the eyes of the elite. If anything, Ian Fairytale—who had also been evaluated as Grade E—was the true anomaly. His growth was explosive, and he possessed a rare constitution that allowed him to wield the Light element.
Furthermore, several top-tier students were already capable of casting high-level 5-star magic. Naturally, the fruits of Isaac’s hard work were overshadowed by those who shone even brighter.
However…
‘That man… Not only is he involved with the top seat and Senior Dorothy, but the second and third seats as well…?’
Eva Heilov couldn’t believe her eyes.
Crouched behind a tree under the effects of [Stealth], she watched the massive skirmish unfold. From her vantage point, it was clear that Luce Eltania was absolutely livid over Isaac’s injury.
During the chaos, even Kaya Astrea, the second seat, had stepped in to take Isaac’s side.
And to Eva’s mounting shock, even Ciel Cardenas—who had helped Isaac track down his Fell Cards—was standing with him.
‘Isaac, just who the hell are you…?’
Eva felt a chill of genuine fear. The realization that the strongest students in the Magic Department were all favoring Isaac was terrifying. What kind of monster was he to command such loyalty?
“Kyaaak!”
Suddenly, a stray blast of Luce’s water magic sliced through the trees surrounding Eva. It was a mere byproduct of the larger battle, but it was lethal nonetheless.
Eva trembled, clutching her head with both hands, trapped in the crossfire of monsters.
“Isaac. You pass.”
The submission point was a narrow passageway tucked near the edge of the exam barrier. I was greeted by a young female professor, the head of Class C, who was stationed there.
I handed over the five Fell Cards, struggling to catch my breath. She inspected them, gave a curt nod, and reached for my bracelet. She inserted a key-like device into the slot; it clicked, and the metal band fell away.
“I didn’t expect you to beat out the Class A students for first place. Hoho, you must have had some clever tricks up your sleeve. You seem like the type who’s good at taking the easy way out.”
I’d expected people to doubt my victory, and I’d prepared myself for the skepticism. Still, the professor’s dismissive attitude stung.
“If you head straight out of here, you’ll find a carriage. It’ll take you back to the dorms. Good work.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head and hurried through the passage.
My ordeal wasn't over yet.
In fact, I was barely at the starting line.
The sun was still hanging in the sky, but the moment it dipped below the horizon, the Thunderbird would be summoned.
Until then, I had to skirt the perimeter, staying just outside the evaluation zone. I set my sights on Carly Hall, a building perched high on a distant hill.
I took off at a dead sprint, pushing the calf muscles I’d trained so relentlessly to their limit.
❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ 「Act 3, Chapter 4: Thunderbird Subjugation」
Just as the sun sets, Vera the Summoner arrives on her familiar, streaking toward the exam site like a bullet.
The moment the demon appears, she forcibly seizes control of the Thunderbird, Galia, from Luce. The backlash causes Luce to lose all her mana and fall unconscious.
Afterward, Vera storms the exam site to kill the protagonist, Ian Fairytale. Her arrival forces the academy into a state of emergency.
The old Märchen Academy grounds are then encased in the Thunderbird’s mighty barrier, completely cutting off the administration’s help. Anyone who tries to approach is vaporized by high-voltage currents; breaking through from the outside is nearly impossible.
Meanwhile, Vera retreats to Carly Hall with the Thunderbird and the unconscious Luce to oversee the slaughter.
The area inside the barrier becomes infested with the Thunderbird’s minions, ‘Lightning Harpies’—mobs that serve as excellent fodder for experience points.
Luce’s body remains protected by the Thunderbird’s lightning shield, making her ironically the safest person during the Thunderbird Subjugation.
Thrown into chaos by the disaster, the proctors, professors, and any students with strength left try to organize rescue operations. This part of the story usually goes smoothly; the tracking bracelets make locating students easy, and the Lightning Harpies are no match for the faculty.
Furthermore, those who finished the exam before the Thunderbird appeared are safe, as the barrier only extends to the entrance of the testing grounds.
Ultimately, Act 3, Scene 4 is about the remaining students and faculty joining forces to defeat Vera and the Thunderbird. The vanguard is inevitably led by Ian and Dorothy—the only ones capable of dealing a decisive blow to the beast.
‘So, what I need to do is…’
I had to reach Carly Hall ahead of time, hide, and wait for the perfect moment to assassinate Vera the Summoner.
There were two critical factors to this mission.
First: I couldn't kill Vera too early.
The Thunderbird is currently driven by pure destructive instinct due to the curse of the 8-star magic beast, Evil Dragon Orchis. It can’t control itself, which is why Luce has to constantly vent her lightning mana to suppress it.
Vera’s domination magic, however, can override the Evil Dragon’s curse to gain total control. If Vera is defeated, the Thunderbird returns to its senses. More importantly, Luce regains her original powers, which is vital for the future.
Second: Vera must be alone.
When the subjugation party reaches Carly Hall, the Thunderbird stays behind to intercept them. That leaves Vera vulnerable.
‘That’s when I strike.’
This was Plan A—the most reliable way to ensure our SSS-Class Professional Fainter of a protagonist doesn't get himself killed.
With Dorothy there, I didn't have to worry about anyone dying to the Lightning Harpies. The real problem was Thunderbird Galia.
As the battle progresses and the Thunderbird’s HP drops to 20%, it unleashes the 7-star lightning spell [Thunderstorm Annihilation]. It’s a map-wide wipe that insta-kills anyone except Dorothy.
To stop it, every purple magic stone on the Thunderbird’s body must be struck simultaneously by a single Light-element sword. It’s a mechanical nightmare, which is why this boss fight was notorious for its difficulty.
There was no way the current Ian could pull that off.
Therefore, I had to intervene in the battle, even if it risked exposing my identity.
Plan A—killing Vera before Galia’s HP hit the 20% threshold—was the safest route. It prevented the Bad Ending and secured the timeline.
As a side note, killing familiars doesn't grant EXP. However, if I killed Vera, the party fighting the Thunderbird would be credited with the assist and receive massive cooperative experience.
Ian needed that power spike for the upcoming chapters. Let’s hope he gets a good share of the EXP.
“Gasp, gasp, gasp…!”
My lungs burned, but I couldn't slow down. The sky was already beginning to bruise with the colors of dusk.
The outcome of the End-of-Semester Evaluation was never in doubt. With the top three seats of the Magic Department on a single team, no one else stood a chance.
When the dust settled, only Luce, Kaya, and Ciel remained standing amidst the wreckage of the battlefield. Their opponents lay scattered across the clearing, being loaded onto stretchers by the medical proctors.
“Sir Isaac…”
Kaya gripped the wand Isaac had given her. Its body, carved from elegant grayish-brown wood, was embedded with magic stones that glowed with a brilliant rust-colored light.
The mana sensitivity was unlike anything she had ever felt. It was as if her clogged mana circuits had been flushed clean, allowing her to channel her power with terrifying efficiency.
“Your share.”
Luce approached Kaya and handed her two Fell Cards. Since they had swept up every card from the defeated students, they had more than enough to go around.
As she took the cards, Kaya’s mind was a whirlwind of emotion. The humiliation of being ignored by Luce, the thrill of the battle, and the lingering warmth of Isaac’s whisper were all tangled together.
But Kaya shook her head, clearing her thoughts.
She had lost, and Luce had won. It was that simple. Whether the victor acknowledged the loser was entirely up to Luce.
Besides, she was someone recognized by Sir Isaac. That alone was enough to keep her head high.
“Thank you, Luce Eltania.”
Kaya offered a gentle smile as she accepted the cards.
Luce narrowed her eyes.
This girl claimed to be the second seat. When they had first clashed in the rose garden, and even when she arrived here, she had been radiating hostility. Now, she looked strangely at peace.
What had Isaac said to her during those brief moments inside the [Ice Wall] to change her attitude so drastically?
Luce’s gaze drifted to Kaya’s hand.
She had noticed the wand earlier. It was new. It had to be a gift from Isaac.
‘Was she Isaac’s friend, too…?’
In that moment, Luce realized something she had overlooked.
To her, Isaac was her first and only friend. But she wasn't his. He had clearly built a life and relationships long before she entered the picture.
It shouldn't have been a surprise that the girl with the light-green pigtails was part of that life.
“…”
Her chest tightened. A prickle of irritation flared within her.
She already felt she didn't get enough time with Isaac. If he had this many other friends… wouldn't her time with him become even more scarce?
The thought sparked a deep, instinctive repulsion toward Kaya.
Luce knew it was selfish. She knew it was childish. But she wanted to monopolize him. He was her only friend, and being with him was the only time she felt truly alive.
“Tsk.”
Luce clicked her tongue, handed over the remaining cards, and turned her back on Kaya without another word.
Kaya stared blankly at her retreating figure.
‘Did she just get annoyed? Why?’
She truly couldn't fathom what went on in the top seat's head.
It was then that the demon appeared, silhouetted against the dying sun.
[Good evening, everyone!!!]
Every student and proctor froze, their eyes snapping toward the three-meter-tall figure hovering in the air.
The gray-skinned demon, Vera the Summoner, looked down at them with a twisted, predatory grin.
I was drenched. My school uniform felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, soaked through with sweat.
Still, my stamina training had paid off; I’d managed to maintain a full sprint for much longer than I ever thought possible.
As I ran, I kept one eye on the scoreboard in the sky. It was hard to be sure, but it looked like thirteen people had already passed the exam while the top seats were busy brawling.
My destination, Carly Hall, sat at the very peak of the hill.
Its red, palace-like exterior still held a sense of ancient grandeur, despite the weathering of time. Along with Bartos Hall, it was one of the twin symbols of Märchen Academy.
A slope covered in vibrant wildflowers stretched out before me. I didn't stop to admire them; I charged up the incline.
But halfway to the top…
Kuooooohhh────!!
Kuwaaaaaa────!!
“…!”
A deafening, primordial screech tore through the air. I skidded to a halt and whipped my head around.
The sun had finally dipped below the horizon, and the first shadows of twilight were creeping across the land.
───────── [Kiaaaaaaahhhh───!!!!!]
Krrrrr──────!!
Clang-clang-clang─────!!!
The cry of a massive bird of prey shattered the silence of the evening. The Thunderbird’s screech echoed between heaven and earth, followed immediately by the roar of thunder.
Dozens of purple lightning bolts lanced across the sky, etching jagged scars into the deepening ultramarine blue.
In an instant, heavy, unnatural clouds blotted out the stars.
From my vantage point overlooking the entire expanse of the old Märchen Academy, I saw it. A black shape, wreathed in violet lightning and dark mana, soared into the heavens.
The creature was massive. Even from this distance, its presence felt suffocating, as if it were looming right over me.
It was the 8-star magic beast capable of toppling nations: ‘Thunderbird – Galia.’
[Thunderbird - Galia]
Lv: 175
Race: (Demon)
Elements: Lightning
Danger: Highest
Psychology: [Hoping for someone to stop him.]
