Academy Rampage: Wiyu's Confident Comeback

I realized it! Academy classes! There were all sorts of minor incidents, but the volunteer work in the dwarf kingdom went off without a hitch! I was relieved that Ephemera came back without any accidents, just having a drinking party, but at the same time, it was so uneventful that I felt a bit let down. On top of that, I learned the basics of crafting skills from a dwarf artisan—and a former Mountain King in a hero party no less—so I couldn't have been happier. I didn't get scolded for causing trouble, I neatly filled all my volunteer hours so I wouldn't have to go alone anymore, and getting recognized by an artisan gave me even more confidence to create things!

"Doom has arrived~!"

"Hey! Can't you feel my artistic flair just from looking at No. 2? I always had talent in art, No. 1!"

I was bouncing around, humming a tune, thrilled that I'd finally found my path. But everyone was giving me looks like, Is this really art?

Even with diligent training, swords were still hard to wield, and the professors weren't teaching magic properly anyway. The wave-riding from the divination professor was handy, and I used divination to help my friends... but honestly, making a living off fortune-telling with no guaranteed accuracy seemed tough. As a witch and a craftsman... just like how my male self got treated as an intangible cultural asset for making cheese! That's the direction for this girl too! With a solid goal in sight, my mood started lifting.

Tomorrow was finally the day we returned to the academy! No matter what classes awaited, I'd handle them coolly!! The days of fumbling around like a bumpkin witch fresh out of the rural village were long gone. Second semester me was different!!

"I can do it—me!!"

Inside the artificially created "field" within Pluwitch Academy, today's class was a competition between students. As an extension of practical sparring, the last one standing got the highest score, so everyone was vying for the top ranks.

In the midst of that, there was a witch standing smack in the center of the field lesson site, wearing a sign around her neck and sporting the world's dumbest expression. Even passing seniors and first-years couldn't bear to look up, just pitying her as they walked by.

A duo of first-year boys, busy setting traps with their friend to score points in the field class, glanced at their spectacle of a classmate witch.

Far away on the Chronicle Continent, people awakened constellation skills based on bloodline, and if it was valuable enough, they even got adopted into the imperial family. Here, you could earn a title through effort, but the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠responsibilities that came with titles were brutally harsh anywhere you went, which was heartbreaking for commoners. Sure, rising to prominence might be necessary once in a lifetime, but nobles faced nitpicky evaluations because they had to be perfect in everything. They basically had to graduate the academy, and seeing nobles stuck as first-year repeaters because they couldn't... it was impossible not to feel sorry.

For these guys, they could just pay tuition, avoid trouble, graduate smoothly, and follow a same-year noble into a job. That made their sympathy surge even more.

"Even top ranks only get 2 points..."

"Hey, Hyun, shouldn't we let her have it at that point?"

"Yeah, Yong. Gotta be gentle with ladies."

"Uh, I can hear you guys."

""We know.""

Sulky. Wiyu wanted to ditch the sign Beatus had hung on her and use "Rampage" to score points, but she held back. She trusted her released Void Mask to handle things on its own. What shocked her more was realizing that even top ranks only got 2 points because of her duke title.

She hadn't grasped the scoring system properly, but—only 2 points?!

They judge by race too, but thank goodness it's not something OP like a dragon. Phew. If it suddenly turned out she had imperial or papal blood, it'd drop even lower, right? Just imagining it brought tears, so she swallowed her sadness. The boys gave her a chocolate bar with a "You got this!" and left.

Everyone in our class is so nice... "But mint chocolate is a bit much."

Back then, I had no clue what to do and just floundered, watching everyone else. But now it was different.

"Alright, summoning class. As I always say, accurate incantations and magic circles are crucial for summoning."

The summoning professor, who mentioned that a monster Aris Witchcraft accidentally summoned during her school days was still sealed underground in the academy. Summoning could call familiars for contracts or combat—bringing in environments, extracting specific magic or powers... Dive deep, and the scope was immense, he taught the students.

"Well then, Wiyu— you look brimming with confidence. Got this?"

"Yes! I've learned properly!"

"Ho, that's a proper summoning circle. Simple yet beautiful. What'll come out?"

"Ah, hold on? Can I borrow the top student's phone?"

"Why?"

After borrowing the top student's phone, she asked the revived Grand Duke for his number. He muttered about not wanting to turn to ash again, but as a warlord, he was semi-immortal, so it should be fine.

"Need permission... Hello?"

This was supposed to be her trump card, Summoning: Aris Witchcraft, and she even wanted to introduce her mom to her friends—but sadly, Wiyu's grand ambition got blocked before it started. The top student snatched the phone, apologized on her behalf, hung up, and the professor, who was about to commit seppuku to escape this world, quietly erased the circle.

"Hey, you're all too much! I've learned a ton at the academy too—I wanted to show it off!"

"You wanna show off something that dangerous?"

"But Mom misses seeing my friends. Especially Ephemera."

"This punk isn't plotting a hit-and-run, is he?"

"Huh? If she was gonna kill, I'd have done it myself."

"That's new, but please don't say crazy stuff with a straight face."

She insisted there was no way she'd kill her precious friend Ephemera, so relax—but she could feel the distance from her friends. Why...! She just wanted to share all her mom's lovable qualities with everyone!

"Okay, divine magic class time. Everyone paired up? Let's try the basics: Heal."

Next up, divine magic. You could receive divinity from a contracted god, use spells they taught, or convert mana to faith through prayer for basic divine spells. The latter wasn't easy, so everyone was struggling. But Heal was useful anywhere, so they gave it their all.

"Heh heh... Let me use Heal..."

"Believer, no medical license. In my world, unlicensed practice is illegal."

Even with a god, some friends struggled. Zard the orc could borrow from the war god his kind worshipped to use Heal, but what could the God of Nurture even do? Zard even got double divinity by asking his outer god with the octopus head.

"Awesome! Zard!! I'll Heal you too! Stay right there!"

"Wait, why are you backing away if you're healing?"

Gathering all the divinity from her 108 contracted gods and outer gods, she formed a massive lump of divine energy.

"Professor, is that okay?"

"Not aimed at me, so probably."

"?"

"Zard!!!! Run!!!!"

Goblin Norris and Radus with the regent head screamed their friend the orc Zard's name. Why always Zard? Because his grades matched Wiyu's, so they got paired.

Friends rushed to save him, but Zard waved them off—no need. Used to it by now, he smiled like having caring friends made life worthwhile.

"...She can revive you even if you die, right?"

"Heh heh... Saying stuff like that means your head's broken?"

Beatus quipped "it's fine" about the tragic trio filming a drama, then facepalmed at Multrenung's retort.

"Take this!!!! Heal!!!!"

"Gaaah!!! I, apostle of the Outer God Explorer!!!"

Whoosh— engulfed in massive divinity, he didn't evaporate. Blasted far away by the impact, Zard flopped limply, his skin gleaming smoother as proof of his "health."

"Wonder if buffs stack 108x too—wanna test?"

"Stop!! Zard's HP is already zero!!"

Wiyu showed off her improved divine skills, learned from the pope in the Holy Kingdom, and was confident in the class. But her friends only learned that with 108 gods helping, even healing could kill. They started worrying her energy was off today, but Wiyu was always weird, so they shrugged it off.

Her confidence didn't wane in the following regular class's math pop quiz either.

"Professor, just fill in the OMR card randomly for me!" What a bold request...!!

Outraged but amused, Wiyu retorted that if she thought it was right and marked it, it became right. Too on-the-nose—the professor marked wrong answers, but the test sheet's answers miraculously changed.

"I get it now... the secret to blind guessing!!"

"Study!!! Actually study!!!"

"But this is probability guessing I mastered through studying?"

"No it's not, you punk!!!"

The math professor clutched his neck and collapsed—a rare sight. Was it just him suffering? No way, the next classes were no joke.

"Our greatsword dummy wanted a dwarf-made sword, so I made an artifact!"

"Hoo."

"Using techniques from the Mountain King hero party member, pouring in all my artistic inspiration!"

"What weapon?"

"Plutonium-238. Should be fine in a lead scabbard."

"Waaah!!!"

She shoved it at the greatsword dummy as a gift; he smashed through a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠window without looking back. Friends screamed and scattered in panic. The artifact professor clutched his chest yelling "Cherenkov radiation!!!" and collapsed—a minor incident.

But Wiyu, now an expert in Lion Resurrection, revived him fine and submitted for evaluation.

"No making radioactive demon swords."

"Eh, no academy rule against it?"

"Cuz normal people can't!!!"

"What about the enriched uranium sword I made as a set?"

"Why's there another one?!"

"For practical sparring?"

Sadly, no Demon Sword - Enriched Uranium in practical sparring for Wiyu. The twin blades, sealed sevenfold with magic in lead scabbards, got confiscated as hazardous materials.

Stuck with her original sword, summoned Zard—er, Change—as Zard's opponent. Divine magic's next practical was Zard again; maybe form a witch-orc team?

"Hm, not like old me."

Wiyu was sure Change, armed with shield and mace, would overwhelm Zard. But injuring a friend with a sword, seeing the wound linger... Even if he said it was fine, it hurt her heart. Healing would fix the body, but the lingering guilt in her soul wouldn't fade.

"Friends you kill, you gotta revive... how awkward would that be."

"Professor, does she have to be in sparring?"

"Not learning power control here a problem?"

The professor's perfect logic had students nodding. Zard with shield roared a warrior's battle cry infused with orc spirit, swinging his mace—but even to the head, Wiyu's skull just dented the mace. She didn't blink.

"Professor, make him surrender."

"He's got a shield—endure."

"This is orc discrimination."

Thus, sadly beating her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠friend in sparring for a mental scar and a win that didn't boost grades. She poured those feelings into a painting on canvas. The lifelike work writhed like it was alive.

"Art's pinnacle is paintings that feel alive, right? What do you think, Professor? My art?"

"Don't forget to burn that painting, Wiyu."

"Burn my work? Each one's like my precious child—let me exhibit it somewhere."

"First off, fuck... not in my classroom even over my dead body. Get it outta here."

"You'll give me an A, right?"

"You're the only one taking art class, you know?"

"Hehe."

Wiyu mentioned wanting to paint the professor's portrait someday; Azunu Vermilio shuddered. Was it really okay for this witch to adapt to academy life? Watching the ink monster squirm to escape the canvas, Vermilio pulled out a borrowed flamethrower.

"Someday I'll collect my works for a gallery—at the school festival!"

"I'm calling out sick that day."

Don't look for me. I respect your dream, but I'd prefer not to be in it. Vermilio, brutally honest, asked about the next class. Taming education—should be fine, he thought enviously.

"Uh... this is the world tree I raised. I can make spirits too! So, tame a spirit made by my child-like world tree?"

Not the professor, but Wiyu brought the world tree and lectured students—a bizarre sight. Was this right? But taming spirits wasn't common. Plus, the so-called Witch's Spirit respected contractors without arrogance. Strong? Unsure, but more cards in hand couldn't hurt.

"Truly splendid, Wiyu dear! You have talent!"

"Whoa! Really?!"

"Yes! You have a tamer certification too? How about becoming my grad student—er, assistant, right here!"

The Tamer Professor sparkled, smoothly trying to snag Wiyu as his assistant. But the Divination Professor, foreseeing the future via divination, placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Cut the bullshit."

"Pardon?"

No mercy even for fellow elves...!! If it hinders Wiyu's graduation, destroy even professors...!! The tamer professor smashed into the classroom wall, but students ignored it and continued spirit contracts.

"Hey, if we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠adapt to this insane daily life, can we survive society?"

"People can live without dopamine."

"Worry first about surviving till graduation..."

Peaceful Pluwitch Academy. With newfound confidence, Wiyu just participating actively was shredding the professors.