I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 41

"What did you just say?" Lee Han-Wol asked, rubbing his ear with a ballpoint pen. His face was painted with confusion.

Undeterred, Baek Yu-Seol repeated himself. "Five monsters. I'll give you the list now."

Lee Han-Wol shook his head, his tone laced with disbelief. "Have you completely lost it? I always knew you were a little crazy, but this is something else..."

Baek Yu-Seol calmly responded, "When did I go crazy?"

"Think about it using your whole head.”

"My whole head?" Baek Yu-Seol frowned, then shrugged as if it wasn't worth arguing. Meanwhile, Eisel calmly announced the names of the five monsters.

"Please summon these: Hymer Radon, Shamane Black Ox, Boxer Mantis, Flash Fish, and Keyden."

Her voice carried an undeniable weight. Lee Han-Wol hesitated briefly but then nodded and relayed the command. Moments later, the five medium-sized monsters appeared. The researchers observing the process widened their eyes in astonishment.

"That combination… Hmm?" one of them muttered, unable to hide his shock at the unusual lineup of monsters.

These researchers, well-versed in the traits and hidden features of monsters, immediately grasped the significance of this unusual grouping. Yet only someone like Lee Han-Wol, with years of expertise and practical knowledge, could comprehend the uniqueness of such a strategy.

The rest, even senior researchers and professors, were left puzzled. Ordinary cadets, naturally, were completely in the dark.

"Hey, Ma Yu-Seong. Do you get it?" 

"I'm not sure..." 

Hong Bi-Yeon and Ma Yu-Seong were just as clueless. Even Flame, who was silently observing from behind, couldn't find any hints in this enigmatic combination.

"Summon complete. Are you ready?" 

"Yes."

Eisel and Baek Yu-Seol positioned themselves in the arena's center, surrounded by the five summoned monsters. Eisel tried to steady her breathing, her heart pounding in anticipation. This was her first attempt at using such a method in real combat.

"Hey, can you do it?" 

"Of course."

"You just have to trust me completely."

"Do I have to keep hearing that from you?"

"Sorry, it was a trendy phrase in my hometown."

"Well, I think it must have been outdated there too. You sound like an old man trying to brag."

“... How did you know?"

"Hmph, it was obvious."

Eisel let out a small laugh, turning her attention to her staff. Baek Yu-Seol’s nonsensical chatter somehow eased her nerves.

"Hooh..."

With Eisel regaining her focus, Baek Yu-Seol turned his attention to the monsters surrounding them. Facing five medium-sized monsters with just two people? It sounded absurd, but for him, it was straightforward.

While playing Aether World, players had tried countless strategies to take down two or more medium-sized monsters.

With hundreds of monsters to defeat, players created numerous combinations until someone discovered that certain monsters reacted to others’ traits.

Once that was known? The remaining step was simple.

All they had to do was dig deeper into those traits and create a situation where the monsters were hostile to each other. 

It was called borrowing a knife to slay the enemy. It was a strategy of killing the enemy using someone else's sword without revealing your own strength.

"One last question. Who came up with this lineup?"

"I did."

"Interesting. As a knight, you can handle extreme scenarios like this. But don’t you think it’s too harsh for a bishop?"

Baek Yu-Seol smirked. "Not at all. This strategy was designed specifically for bishops."

Whispers rippled through the crowd. Despite the murmurs of doubt, Lee Han-Wol nodded slightly, seeming to trust Baek Yu-Seol's words.

"Well then, let's begin."

At his signal, the monsters’ eyes gleamed with awareness, their gazes locking onto the two figures in the arena's center. The distance between them was short—just enough for a single leap.

As the monsters stirred, Eisel did something unexpected. She released her staff, her body lifting slightly off the ground. A booming resonance of mana filled the air.

The professors watching from the stands bolted upright in shock.

"That's... supernatural resonance!" one professor exclaimed in disbelief.

“That’s impossible. Supernatural resonance only occurs when mages of Class 6 or higher enter a completely unconscious state…”

Eisel stretched out her arms, mana swirling like a storm around her spinning staff. A cold, icy blue aura enveloped her.

"However, supernatural resonance cannot be performed unless the safety of the caster is fully guaranteed.”

"Even if it's just an illusion, there's a risk of mana backflow turning Eisel into a cripple when the monsters attack.”

"Hey, Instructor! Stop the performance evaluation immediately! It's too dangerous!"

The professors were in a state of panic, but Lee Han-Wol paid them no heed. He didn't think there was any real danger, and Eisel seemed to be calm.

‘Has it begun?’ 

Baek Yu-Seol briefly admired the scene unfolding before his eyes. Her concentration power was so immense that it could easily be described as monstrous. 

There were only a handful of geniuses in Class 3 who could perform resonance, and besides Eisel, Baek Yu-Seol knew of no other.

'Well then, I guess it’s my turn.’

As she started to concentrate on her task, it was now Baek Yu-Seol’s turn.

[Flash]

He turned into a blur and suddenly reappeared behind the medium-size monster, hymer radon, stabbing it in the abdomen with his Teripon sword.

"Aaaaargh!"

Hymer radons emit a red light from their forehead when experiencing pain.

As the toad-like hymer radon’s forehead emitted a red light, another monster that looked like a robust bull reacted.

Like a bull seeing red, it roared and charged toward the Hymer Radon, dust erupting with every step.

Kru, kru, kru!

The shamane black ox, which had a huge muscular body like a bull, charged at the hymer radon.

Unfortunately, Eisel happened to be in the path of the mad bull, so Baek Yu-Seol used his flash once again, this time moving beside the bull. 

He then struck it with all his might, causing it to charge in another direction and narrowly miss Eisel.

“What the...” 

The mages were completely taken aback. It wasn't because of Baek Yu-Seol’s actions, but because of Eisel’s inexplicably powerful concentration. 

She had to have heard the shamane black ox’s roar and the sound of its thunderous charge, not to mention the wind pressure it unleashed, but Eisel did not stop concentrating.

"Unbelievable... her concentration is astounding."

“No. Perhaps it's because she trusts the knight to protect her perfectly.”

Boom!!!

As two medium-sized monsters collided, an immense cloud of dust erupted in all directions from the center, where the Shamanic Black Ox stood.

Flash Fishes, fearing dehydration when sand touched their skin, began producing and releasing huge amounts of water.

Sensing the danger, the Flash Fishes halted and poured out even more water. The barrier surrounding the platform caused the water to accumulate rapidly.

If the keyden senses moisture, its roar would reach at least seven octaves.

Kiyoohhh!!!

The Boxer Mantis, a creature hypersensitive to sound, attacked anything indiscriminately when exposed to noises exceeding seven octaves.

Suddenly, the five medium-sized monsters became entangled in a chaotic struggle, creating a cacophony. The mages observing the scene finally discerned the strategy behind the chaos.

From the beginning, Eisel’s group had meticulously studied the monsters' traits and attributes to orchestrate such a phenomenon.

"My God. Did they analyze every single trait of the monsters?"

"I majored in Monster Studies, yet I’ve never even thought of such a thing..."

"It's too reckless."

"But..."

Boom, Rumble!!!

The monsters were far too engrossed in their skirmish to notice Eisel’s group at the center. Dust swirled wildly, the water level on the ground continued to rise, and the glowing red light grew ever more intense.

Amid the pandemonium, Baek Yu-Seol executed his role as a knight flawlessly.

The Knight position.

Quite literally, protecting the Bishop flawlessly and holding off enemies until the spell was cast.

When a monster charged recklessly toward Eisel, Baek Yu-Seol teleported instantaneously, slashing at its ankles with his sword and causing it to topple.

The fallen monster had no chance to retaliate against Baek Yu-Seol before being struck by another monster’s attack, leaving it disoriented.

If yet another monster approached, Baek Yu-Seol used his body as a shield. When another enemy came from behind, he intercepted it using Flash without hesitation.

"Woah, amazing. So damn cool."

He dashed back and forth relentlessly.

Each time he used Flash, a trace of shimmering light lingered in the air, left by Teripon’s sword beam.

Gradually, those radiant trails began to mesmerize the audience.

Here one moment, gone the next.

It wasn’t just a stunning sight… it was efficiency and precision personified. His movements were flawless, shielding the Bishop from all directions on his own.

He embodied the very ideal of a knight.

A knight who protected his charge with unwavering devotion.

As the battle escalated, the monsters grew weary, their bodies battered and injured.

Flash!

Finally, Eisel opened her blue eyes and grabbed her staff.

The accumulated water on the ground solidified into ice, and a magnificent flower sprouted high into the sky.

It was an ice flower, its petals radiating a serene blue glow.

"Crystal flower."

The shimmering, pale-blue blossom was so breathtaking that one might consider offering their soul to it.

"So beautiful…"

"Wow...."

Could even the finest sculpture surpass such splendor?

The professors no longer evaluated the cadet's magic. They simply appreciated the magic of a mage. 

Her magic transcended the capabilities of a mere cadet. No ordinary mage could conjure something so exquisite.

The medium-sized monsters writhed on the ground, their strength sapped, unable to move as the freezing water crept up to their ankles.

In time, the ice would shatter, and Eisel’s high-profile attack would draw their attention.

“Shatter.”

Before that could happen, the resplendent flower shattered into countless fragments, transforming into sharp, deadly projectiles that rained down in all directions.

Thunk, Thunk! Crack!

Hundreds of giant ice spears struck the bodies of the medium-size monsters.

Their flesh tore, froze, and fractured simultaneously. When they tried to move, their wounds reopened, unleashing unbearable agony.

Yet, the battle was far from over.

Pssshhh...! 

At that moment, steam started to emerge from the keyden’s body. It was one of its hidden traits. When it felt excessive moisture and coldness, it emitted tremendous heat. 

Thanks to this ability, the frozen ground began to thaw.

"Ah..." 

"In the end, they couldn't finish it." 

"The strategy was well planned, and the battle was beautiful, but they didn't consider this hidden ability." 

"What a shame. But at their level, they still deserve high marks."

Their strategy had narrowly fallen short.

Just as the verdict seemed inevitable, Eisel raised her hand into the air.

Until then, no one had noticed. 

The blue light cluster that had been serving as the petals of the crystal flower still hadn't disappeared. 

Everyone had assumed it was part of the ice flower, blooming alongside the frost and forming its delicate petals.

But that was a misconception. 

Her specialty was magic that combined ice and lightning at the same time. 

Zzzt, Zzzt! 

The mages gasped in astonishment at the sparks flying through the air. 

Though ice was a poor conductor of electricity, people assumed she had sacrificed her lightning specialty to cast the crystal flower.

But they were wrong.

Unfortunately, she was not content with just being born with the blessing of ice; she also had a great love for lightning. 

She couldn't resist the urge to summon it. 

Baek Yu-Seol had come up with an extraordinary plan. 

‘Freeze them first, then melt it down afterward… easy, right?’

The moisture rising from the melting ice due to keyden’s heat… water, an excellent conductor of electricity.

"Uh...?" 

"Wait, could it be...?" 

Realization dawned upon the spectators, followed by a collective gasp.

"Strike it down."

A beam of blue light plunged into the ground. 

Crack!

A deafening roar of thunder echoed across the battlefield.

The world was illuminated in a dazzling blue, and a flower bloomed once more.

This time, it wasn't an ice flower or a crystal flower.

It was a blue flower.

A flower brighter and more radiant than anything else in existence.

Could one really say that the pure beauty created by magic was not art?

Anything that could resonate with the human psyche could be said to be a work of art.

Her magic was close to art, a highly destructive art aimed at annihilating her enemies. As long as her attacks did not hit Baek Yu-Seol, anyone would be amazed at the beauty of the artwork she created.

"Hah..." 

Eisel stared blankly at the spectacle she’d created. 

‘This is my magic…’

Even she could barely believe it. Not even the formidable Hong Bi-Yeon had displayed such magic.

It was a magic that only she could create.

‘What exactly is this plan of yours? It’s perfect, right?’ she asked him.

“Of course. Well… maybe 1%,” he replied.

‘What did you say?’

Eisel vividly recalled how stunned she had been when Baek Yu-Seol first explained the plan.

‘The remaining 99% is up to you. If you don't do your part, I'll be the one who's screwed.’

‘Me…?’ 

She couldn't believe it. He entrusted her with his grand plan of defeating five medium-size monsters.

‘You can do it,’ he said.

‘That's…’

‘No, you have to do it. My score depends on you.’

At the time, she thought he was insane. If his goal was to inspire confidence in her, it was a complete failure. Whatever plan he had, she was convinced he would fail if he trusted and relied on someone like her.

But Baek Yu-Seol smiled… calm, steady, and sure. He spoke with the unwavering conviction of someone who truly believed in her.

‘I believe in you,’ he said.

‘That's…’

‘So believe in me, who believes in you. Because you really can do this.’

It was the first time she had ever seen such a serious side of him. Even with his usual smile, his expression and tone carried a sincerity that left a weight in her chest.

However, it was not a bad feeling.

‘You can do it, right?’

Despite her doubts, Eisel found herself nodding.

"Yeah."

Somehow, she came to trust him. 

Was it because of his foolish yet sincere words?

She didn’t know herself.

But anyone who could resist the raw conviction in his voice would have to be completely heartless.

And so, she took on the impossible.

All because she believed in Baek Yu-Seol, who believed in her.

"Ah..."

But then…

"It’s pretty..."

He didn't even know that she could do it so perfectly.

Eisel slowly closed her eyes, her mind replaying the fragile blue flower that encompassed the world.

She was someone who had always lived with nothing but the faintest flicker of hope.

And even that small hope was fading away…

Baek Yu-Seol had shown her the way.

Until now, she’d felt as if she were endlessly drifting, lost in an infinite sea.

No matter how fiercely she struggled to push forward, there were times when doubts overwhelmed her… times when she questioned whether the path she had chosen was the right one.

But not anymore.

Far ahead, Baek Yu-Seol had lit a beacon in the darkness… a light in the middle of the vast sea.

The light was telling her how far she needed to go.

How much more effort it would take.

So she decided to follow that light.

Perhaps, this time, she wouldn’t be lost.