I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 77

The fact that Baek Yu-Seol was receiving special training for underclassmen quickly became the talk of the academy.

More than a hundred students gathered to watch, their whispers filling the air, and even the professors observed quietly.

Eisel was also one of the people who came to watch.

She wasn’t alone though.

Her friends accompanied her.

"Huh?"

Eisel hesitated briefly, caught off guard by Hariren's sudden question.

Another friend answered, "Of course, the second-year senior will win. How could a first-year possibly defeat a senior who's already experienced in fieldwork and missions?"

"That's true. But you never know, right?"

"No way."

Listening to their chatter, Eisel smiled wryly.

They were her friends.

She wasn’t alone anymore.

Earlier, Hariren approached her and said, "Let's have a meal together."

When they went out, three more girls joined them. They were straightforward.

‘We've heard about you.’

‘But lately, we see you differently.’

‘We’re curious about who you are.’

Their questions were blunt and filled with curiosity.

Some were awkward to answer, while others bordered on rude.

But their honesty made it easier for Eisel to open up.

Within days, Eisel had become part of their group.

Most of the girls were commoners or minor nobles.

Though some noble-born students looked down on them and whispered that commoners should stick together, her new friends didn’t care about such things.

Instead, as fellow commoners, they treated Eisel like an equal.

A traitor’s daughter? That didn’t matter. She was famous!

To most commoner teenagers, that was Eisel’s image… a figure of intrigue.

And all of this was thanks to Baek Yu-Seol. Because of him, Eisel’s remarkable actions had caught the academy’s attention, earning her a positive reputation.

"So, what do you think?"

As the topic came back around to her, Eisel replied, "Objectively speaking... the senior will probably win."

Her answer was deliberately vague.

It was true the senior had the upper hand.

But it also implied that Baek Yu-Seol had a chance.

Yet, his victory might cause an uproar.

That was why Eisel was curious about his decision.

Would he swallow his pride and hide his skills to lose on purpose?

Or would he defy expectations and overpower the senior outright?

"Hmm, well... Earth-attribute mages are known for their strong defenses, and I doubt Baek Yu-Seol’s firepower is enough."

"No, I heard that he even broke through a shield with his magic sword."

"Still... Can a magic sword really penetrate a Class 3 earth-type defense?"

Logically, it was absolutely impossible.

But Eisel, who had seen Baek Yu-Seol kill a Class 5 necromancer, found their doubts amusing.

"Besides, earth-types excel in controlling the battlefield. The more they dominate the area, the stronger and more unpredictable their attacks become."

No matter how fast or agile Baek Yu-Seol was, once the opponent seized control of the field, the duel would be over.

All that would follow was a one-sided beating.

Perhaps others in the audience were having similar discussions.

They were teenagers, after all… and aspiring magic warriors with an instinct to analyze and theorize about battles.

"Hmm, how should he handle this?"

Just as the debate began to heat up, the announcement came.

"We’ll begin at once."

Finally, the duel began.

[Flash]

[Flash]

[Flash]

The crowd gasped as Baek Yu-Seol darted around the field, appearing and disappearing in quick bursts.

"Uh, yeah. That’s the right move."

It was a sound tactic, but far from easy to execute.

Turning one’s back in a mage duel was practically an invitation to get killed.

Even knights, who relied on physical techniques like power jumps, wouldn’t dare to expose themselves like that.

But Baek Yu-Seol didn’t hesitate.

His ability to manipulate distance and space set him apart.

Baek Yu-Seol’s combat style defied conventional logic, leaving the audience struggling to devise a countermeasure.

‘Hmm…’

While others puzzled over his strategy, Eisel considered the situation from another angle.

Breaking through an earth-type defense seemed impossible by ordinary means, but based on Baek Yu-Seol’s previous feats, she believed he could manage it.

‘He’s choosing not to fight head-on... Is he planning to conceal his true strength and fight cautiously instead?’

But how?

That question was quickly resolved.

Despite the arena’s size, it was still a confined space with limited room to run.

No matter how far he fled, his opponent could pursue and catch him within range of their magic.

Earth mages thrived in controlling wide areas, and Kalivan was confident enough to cover the gaps in his range. Without hesitation, he moved toward the forest where Baek Yu-Seol had vanished.

The trees were dense, but the Stella Dome’s airspace displayed multi-angle views, allowing spectators to track the participants’ movements.

However, the camera following Baek Yu-Seol shifted constantly, making it hard to focus.

Unable to keep up, the crowd turned their attention to Kalivan’s perspective.

"Senior Kalivan seems very cautious."

"Yeah. It’s strange seeing him like this, especially since seniors usually flaunt their skills so casually."

Ignoring the chatter of the students, Kalivan pressed forward into the forest, where his vision was completely blocked.

'Damn it, where did that bastard hide?'

He never expected that during a duel, Baek Yu-Seol would show his back and simply run away.

Rumors painted him as a knight with exceptional swordsmanship, but perhaps it was all an act.

Snap!

'Hmm?'

His senses detected movement. Although it was a forest, there shouldn't be any wild animals in the duel arena, so it had to be Baek Yu-Seol.

"Stone Pierce!"

Without hesitation, Kalivan conjured a sharp spear of stone and hurled it toward the sound. Something was struck, tumbling to the ground.

'Good!'

He wasted no time, drawing magic circles on both hands as he approached the target.

‘Huh...?’

Hanging from a branch was a monkey doll, its tail swaying gently.

Kalivan's gaze shifted to something held in the monkey's hands.

'...Cymbals?'

The toy clanged its cymbals together, releasing a deafening shockwave.

Bang! Boom!

"Argh...!"

But Kalivan, true to his earth-attribute nature, stood his ground. He anchored his body like a stone, weathering the noise.

The attack wasn’t strong enough to be lethal. A simple Class 1 shield could block it with ease.

But that wasn't important.

‘It’s a distraction!’

Realizing the trap, he hastily raised an earth barrier behind him.

The sound of wind slicing through the air followed… and Baek Yu-Seol’s shining blade crashed into the barrier.

Crack!!!

The magic sword tore into the earth wall but failed to break through completely.

'Stone Break!'

Clenching his left fist, which wasn't holding his staff, Kalivan rolled forward, causing the earth barrier to burst and scatter dust in all directions.

Kalivan skillfully created another barrier and hid behind it, keeping him unharmed.

However, Baek Yu-Seol, who was just there, probably suffered injuries.

'...He's not there?'

The spot where Baek Yu-Seol should’ve been was empty. Only a golden bell swayed gently, left behind.

Mistaking the golden bell for an attack, he quickly defended himself. But... nothing happened.

'Damn!'

Turning quickly, he spotted Baek Yu-Seol sprinting away, already several strides ahead.

‘He’s infuriatingly fast!’

But this time, the distance between them had closed enough for magic to take effect.

Thud. Thud. Thud!

As Kalivan swung his staff, the ground beneath Baek Yu-Seol suddenly rose, causing his surroundings to collapse.

Rocks defied gravity, soaring into the air, while jagged shards of stone rained down, threatening to trap him.

Yet, with movements as nimble as a monkey’s, Baek Yu-Seol danced through the chaos.

He spun his sword, deflecting the debris, and slipped through gaps in the terrain, using trees and natural barriers to his advantage.

In mere moments, he was out of range again.

'Damn it...!'

Kalivan gritted his teeth. He had prepared to counter Baek Yu-Seol’s teleportation abilities, holding back half his attacks in reserve.

But instead of teleporting, Baek Yu-Seol had simply outmaneuvered him.

Kalivan gave chase, his footsteps heavy against the ground.

At that moment, along with the sensation of his soles floating, his senses detected magic.

‘No, this is alchemy!’

As befitting a Stella student, he quickly concluded that it was alchemy.

Bang!

Kalivan’s instincts screamed as the leaf he stepped on sent him floating into the air.

‘An alchemical trap?’

Keeping his cool, he focused his mana.

'Weight of the Earth!'

He anchored himself, breaking free of the levitation spell and slamming back down. Without hesitation, he unleashed volleys of rock shards toward the empty space around him.

Pew! Pew! Pew!

Fragments tore through trees and brush, but Baek Yu-Seol was already a step ahead… throwing something in return.

Clang!

‘Poison gas...?’

Realizing what it was, Kalivan prepared an air-blocking spell. But before it activated, he inhaled enough to make him stumble.

Gritting his teeth, he cast an antidote spell.

Biochemical poison-related magic was almost meaningless because magic capable of instantly analyzing and detoxifying any magic-infused poison had been developed.

However, when alchemists used poisons from animals or monsters, neutralizing them became quite troublesome.

Kalivan assumed that Baek Yu-Seol had used that type of magic and hastily proceeded with detoxification, but...

"Gulp, cough...!"

His spell failed. Instead, water poured from his eyes, nose, and mouth, and his head felt as if it were being split open.

'CS gas...!'

It was sharp, stinging, and suffocating. It was non-lethal but excruciating… meant to incapacitate rather than kill.

Kalivan clenched his staff. He couldn’t lower his guard, even while suffering.

Blinded and struggling to breathe, he raised earthen walls around him to form a barrier.

The spell drained his mana, but it was his only defense while he worked to purge the gas.

'Purify!'

His experience as a mage didn’t fail him. Within seconds, the gas was neutralized.

Kalivan emerged from the barrier, his confidence restored.

But just as he thought it was nothing before, the timer of the golden bell that he considered insignificant earlier expired.

Flash!

"Gah…!"

His vision turned white.

Thud!

Something struck his face. Kalivan hastily erected another stone barrier behind him and a non-attribute shield in front. But a sudden blow erupted from the ground, shattering his defenses and striking his waist.

Thunk, bang!

"Cough, ugh…!"

True to his earth magic specialization, he managed to mitigate most of the damage by placing rocks and shields around his waist, but its mental impact was severe.

"Damn it, you bastard…"

As he forced himself to rise from his knees, he placed his hand on the ground and almost screamed from the stinging pain.

"Guhhh..."

Sharp traps ricocheted in every direction. There was no time to question how they moved so unnaturally… Kalivan had to grit his teeth and endure the searing pain that brought tears to his eyes.

Whoosh!

But before he could recover, he sensed another threat approaching from behind.

He whirled around and swung his staff, but the object flying toward him wasn’t Baek Yu-Seol.

It was a black sphere.

Wham!

The shield successfully blocked it but couldn't prevent the gas from seeping out.

'Another trick…'

He hurriedly prepared for detoxification, but...

This time, it wasn't the CS gas from before, nor was it poison gas. It was just smoke - thick and clinging - to obscure his vision while making his position painfully obvious.

Swish!

Before Kalivan could respond, Baek Yu-Seol flashed forward, his magic sword slicing through the smoke and striking at Kalivan’s back.

Crack!

"Ugh...!"

Despite suffering significant mana loss, Kalivan clad himself in stone armor to defend himself by any means necessary.

But to his disbelief, Baek Yu-Seol’s sword tore through most of it.

"... Damn it, explode!"

Crash!

Fragments of rock blasted outward as Kalivan retaliated, forcing Baek Yu-Seol to retreat once more.

"Ugh, huff, hoo...."

Kalivan panted heavily, wiping the drool from his mouth. His body burned from the lingering effects of the gas. His skin throbbed, bruised from repeated blows.

However...

Not a single one of his injuries was fatal. With just a little rest, he wouldn’t even need to visit the infirmary.

But...

Somehow...

Anger surged through him from head to toe. This was supposed to be a lesson… a chance to put his arrogant junior in his place.

He couldn’t accept being toyed like this, he needed to crush Baek Yu-Seol completely.

There was no greater humiliation than what Baek Yu-Seol is currently doing to him.

Sss...

The mist dissipated, revealing Baek Yu-Seol standing calmly in the distance.

Kalivan approached him, his lips curling into a sneer.

Alchemy tools and magical devices in the arena were limited.

Baek Yu-Seol’s devices had been impressive so far, but he must have exhausted all his tricks.

Now, he would have to fight barehanded. And his sword? It couldn’t pierce Kalivan’s reinforced armor.

From now on, he would use all his power, employing every magic at his disposal to chase him down. There was no use in running away with fancy footwork.

With that in mind, Kalivan aimed his staff at him.

"Don’t think you can run this time."

Rumble!

The very earth trembled, and massive earth barriers blocked every direction. Baek Yu-Seol’s advantage lay in skillfully utilizing the terrain and manipulating distances according to his preference.

But if the terrain was modified to prevent him from escaping or moving freely, then he would be rendered helpless.

Crack!

Spikes and fragments of rock flew into the air.

Kalivan poured every drop of his mana into his ultimate spell… Stone Shower.

Even as he completed his spell, Baek Yu-Seol extended his sword without any intention of stopping it and stared calmly into the empty space.

More precisely... he was observing the timer that was still running.

[14:45]

Finally, Kalivan's magic circle began to emit light.

'Good, the spell is complete!'

[14:50]

He briefly wondered why Baek Yu-Seol didn't disrupt the formation of the magic, why he didn't negate the magic, but it didn't matter.

[14:53]

"Kneel and beg for mercy!"

All the magic converged in the direction where Baek Yu-Seol stood. If he were hit by that, it wouldn't just be a simple injury, but a potentially fatal situation.

But even then, Baek Yu-Seol’s eyes remained fixed on the timer.

"Die! Stone Shower!"

Finally, just as Kalivan's magic surged toward Baek Yu-Seol...

[15:00]

"I surrender."

Baek Yu-Seol declared his defeat.

Thud!

All the magic came to a halt under the compulsion of Stella Dome. Blades of rock hovered in mid-air, trembling as if yearning to strike, yet bound by the arena’s laws.

"What...?"

‘What did he say?’

Momentarily unable to comprehend the meaning of those words, Kalivan gritted his teeth and infused mana.

'Move! Move!'

However, no matter what he tried, his magic wouldn't move as he willed.

The field shimmered, and the magic dissipated into harmless light. The spectators erupted into murmurs.

"This..."

"The duel has ended. The winner is Kalivan from Class C of the second year."

Just as the assistant professor intervened and announced the complete end of the duel, Kalivan's face turned pale.

"No, wait! It’s not over!"

Then the assistant professor, clearly displaying annoyance, said to Kalivan, "You’re in your second year, and you still don’t understand the rules? Baek Yu-Seol surrendered. The duel is over."

"But..."

"Enough!"

Kalivan flinched under the professor’s glare.

"I already regret stepping in for this ridiculous hazing. Don’t make it worse."

"...!"

Kalivan swallowed his protests. 

There were occasional cases where former Stella students became professors. The assistant professor was likely a former student of Stella as well. Having to participate in this farce was absurd enough to him.

Baek Yu-Seol, hiding behind the assistant professor, spoke softly. "Thank you for your hard work, senior. I've learned a lot from you."

Baek Yu-Seol politely bowed and quickly exited, leaving Kalivan standing there in a daze, gazing into the empty space.

Kalivan had won.

Technically.

Yet, as he stood there staring into the empty arena, all he felt was frustration.

Why?

But it didn’t matter, the duel was over, and there was nothing more he could do.