I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 87

"Disappointed, you say?"

"Yeah..."

Even as his throat tightened, Hae Won-Ryang’s pupils trembled at Ma Yu-Seong’s words.

Ma Yu-Seong and Hae Won-Ryang.

Their first meeting had been... unusual.

"You, let's have a duel."

It was the spring of their first year in middle school.

Their connection began with Hae Won-Ryang's bold challenge.

"Huh? Why?"

"I refuse to accept that you’re on the same level as me. It’s infuriating. I need to set the record straight and clear up those ridiculous rumors about you."

From the moment Hae Won-Ryang awakened his powers and learned to speak, he had devoted himself to studying magic. As a kindergartener, he wielded spells that adults struggled to master, and by elementary school, he easily defeated upperclassmen in the middle school division.

Hae Won-Ryang was a prodigy. The world watched him with awe.

But suddenly, out of nowhere, a guy named Ma Yu-Seong appeared, calling himself another genius.

It felt like a threat to his position.

So Hae Won-Ryang observed Ma Yu-Seong for a while. What kind of person he was, what kind of training he did, and what kind of studies he pursued.

The results of his observations were extremely disappointing.

Ma Yu-Seong didn't put in any effort and spent his days goofing off. During class, he buried his nose in strange books that had nothing to do with magic.

It was unacceptable.

It stung his pride.

To be seen as equal to that guy.

He needed to prove otherwise.

But...

“I won, didn't I? That was something else. It was so much fun!"

He lost to a complete amateur… someone who didn’t seem to have ever fought a magic duel before in his life.

Hae Won-Ryang was shaken.

Why did he lose?

He couldn't understand.

"To someone who doesn’t even try… doesn’t study… Why?!"

The answer came to him.

"I wasn’t disciplined enough."

Since then, he trained relentlessly.

He trained and trained and trained some more.

He memorized Ma Yu-Seong’s spells, broke them down, and analyzed them in excruciating detail.

He swore to never lose their next battle.

However, despite all his efforts...

"I won again this time! It was even more fun. How do you know my magic so well?"

Hae Won-Ryang lost again.

Ma Yu-Seong won once more.

From that moment, Ma Yu-Seong saw Hae Won-Ryang as nothing more than an amusing rival. Confident in his own extraordinary talent, he dismissed the idea that Hae Won-Ryang could ever defeat him… no matter how hard he tried.

It had always been like that.

However, something changed when Hae Won-Ryang received the admission letter to Stella Academy.

During the dungeon practicum, Ma Yu-Seong nearly lost to Hae Won-Ryang. He was completely overwhelmed by someone he had regarded as just a playmate.

For the first time, Ma Yu-Seong questioned his flawless talent and tasted the bitterness of doubt.

For the first time, he realized he had a competitive spirit.

Although it was only a narrow escape, it felt as though his entire world had been shaken.

That day, for the first time, Ma Yu-Seong turned his back and ran away from someone he considered weaker than himself.

Since then, unlike before, he included a bit of training in his daily routine.

He even visited the main house he thoroughly disliked to become stronger.

As a result, he discovered that he had noticeably become stronger. He felt a sense of accomplishment he had never felt before.

When something taken for granted was no longer guaranteed, it gained value.

"I’ll definitely win this time."

Finally, Ma Yu-Seong found value in his competition with Hae Won-Ryang. The joy of striving to defeat him became evident to him.

"I worked hard for our bet, and you... you rely on mere dark magic to defeat me?"

"No, that's not it..."

"We have always fought as equals. You're the only person who can make me feel tense."

"I have never defeated you!! That's why… That's why I...!"

At some point, Hae Won-Ryang regained the ability to speak properly.

"You resorted to dark magic just to defeat me easily?"

Ma Yu-Seong spread his arms wide. His expression seemed free from the suffocating pain.

"Then kill me. With that power you easily obtained, pierce through my heart."

Hae Won-Ryang's arm trembled instinctively, but for some reason, he couldn't do it.

"I felt it… that competitiveness in you. And I pushed myself, trying to defeat you. But you..."

“Enough. Please stop."

Without realizing it, Hae Won-Ryang released his grip on Ma Yu-Seong's neck and took a step back.

Even with his immense power, he had believed there was nothing in this world to fear. He thought he could defeat anyone.

However, there was still one thing that frightened him. It was disappointing someone he had always considered a lifelong rival.

"If you want to defeat me so easily, go ahead and take the victory you desire."

"Ugh, I... I..."

Hae Won-Ryang's right hand twisted and mutated grotesquely, but the turmoil in his mind left him paralyzed.

"I'm not afraid of death."

Ma Yu-Seong pulled Hae Won-Ryang’s sharp, transformed hand toward his own chest.

"But... it’s disappointing that we’ll never make another bet anymore."

‘Will this victory, won at such a cost, truly taste sweet? Or will it only feel hollow?’

If Ma Yu-Seong died here, the world would forever remember that Hae Won-Ryang had never defeated him with his own strength.

He had to keep Ma Yu-Seong alive to break the streak of defeats. 

He couldn’t remain an eternal loser.

He had to keep himself alive and wash away the disgrace with his own strength.

Hae Won-Ryang clenched his teeth and said, "I won't... kill you."

Because he still hadn't defeated him.

Rumble!

She had intended to resolve the situation peacefully, but somehow, Ma Yu-Seong had chosen a different path… and the result wasn’t half bad.

'I don't know what he did... but now's my chance!'

Now that Hae Won-Ryang's emotions had returned to almost human-like, if she used the purification magic, she could restore him to his original state.

Flash!

Finally, her magic was complete, and the moment the chains of light were about to envelop Hae Won-Ryang...

Boom! 

"Ugh!"

"Gah...!"

A crushing force suddenly erupted from all directions, pressing down on them with overwhelming weight.

The magic unraveled, unable to fully manifest, and the three of them collapsed to their knees.

Thunk.

A woman with flowing hair descended gracefully, as if she had stepped out of another world.

"Oh my, what do we have here?"

It was a stranger's voice.

Flame forced herself to look up, her eyes widening in terror the moment she saw the figure.

Dressed in a magnificent mage’s robe and with fluttering multicolored hair, it was someone she knew from the novel.

‘Hyejin, the Deputy Leader of the 13th Extermination Squad!'

Casually twirling a staff adorned with swirling colors, Hyejin sauntered toward Hae Won-Ryang with a predatory air.

Ma Yu-Seong and Hae Won-Ryang remained doubled over, unable to withstand the suffocating pressure that bound them to the ground.

Flame’s mind raced as understanding clicked into place.

‘Hyejin’s specialty, illusion magic.'

Hyejin had cast an illusion of crushing weight upon everyone present, forcing them to collapse to the ground.

Even if one recognized it as an illusion, it wouldn't change anything.

Releasing it required an interpretation ability of equal proficiency, and Hyejin currently possessed at least a Class 6 magic level.

Thunk…

Footsteps echoed behind her. Without even looking, it was clear who had arrived.

‘It must be the leader, Kaen…’

Kaen’s gaze was cold as it swept over Hae Won-Ryang’s fallen form. Overwhelmed by Hyejin’s magic, Hae Won-Ryang had fainted, dark energy still seeping from his body.

Hyejin’s voice broke the tense silence, her words laced with mockery.

"Hmm, so it wasn’t Maizen Tyren after all? Looks like the prophecy missed the mark again."

Kaen said nothing in response. Instead, he extended a hand, casting a specialized dark magic detection spell… a technique exclusive to the New Moon Tower.

“The wave is faint. It’s surprising he could produce this much power.”

"Oh, really?"

Kaen nodded his head.

"Proceed with the summary execution."

“Oh my, straight to execution? But don’t you think he can still be purified?”

The fact that the wavelength of dark magic was faint meant that there was still a possibility of reversing it.

However, Squad Leader Kaen remained unmoved.

“If he can generate this much power with so little corruption… imagine what will happen if he loses control. The risk is too great. It’s better to eliminate him now.”

Those tainted by dark magic were rarely free of its influence.

Even if cleansed temporarily, the corruption lingered beneath the surface, ready to resurge.

In most cases, such individuals either left the magical world entirely… or returned as dark mages.

“What a waste. He’s handsome. I like these cynical handsome guys.”

Once a decision was made, it was to be carried out immediately.

As Kaen aimed his staff at Hae Won-Ryang, veins popped on Flame’s forehead. She wanted to scream for them to stop, but her body refused to obey.

‘Please, please…! Just a bit more and I can purify him…!’

Tears welled in her eyes, but Hyejin merely smirked, licking her lips as though savoring Flame’s desperation.

"I'm sorry for killing your friend. But there's nothing we can do. You know that too, don't you?"

"Ugh..."

"Oh?"

In the midst of their conversation, Ma Yu-Seong, trembling and drenched in sweat, was pushing himself to his feet. For the first time, genuine surprise flickered across Hyejin’s face.

"So a first-year student from the academy managed to endure this? Impressive... Ah, you're Ma Yu-Seong, right? I've heard your name, and you're as good-looking as they say!"

However...

“Still, lie down for a bit. You’re in the way of my work.”

“Ugh!”

Just as Ma Yu-Seong managed to raise his upper body, Hyejin flicked her finger, causing him to collapse once again.

The groans escaping his lips were unusual.

‘No way...’

If Ma Yu-Seong were to go on a rampage and reveal his dark magic here, there was no doubt that they would be killed.

No matter how strong they might become in the future, they were merely seventeen years old at the moment.

They were no match for the elite magic warriors of the New Moon Tower.

‘Please…’

He feras personified, explosive magic burst forth from Ma Yu-Seong's body. It was the preparatory process of depleting all of his righteous magic power to unleash the dark magic.

“You’re trying hard~?”

“Ugh…”

Flame gritted her teeth and tried desperately to raise her body, but the excruciating pain made it impossible.

She couldn't do anything.

Guilt consumed her as the realization struck… these two boys, destined for greatness, might die here because of her.

‘Is all this... because of me?’

This event hadn’t happened in the original story. So if something not in the original story was happening, could it be because of her existence?

Just as Kaen aimed his wand at Hae Won-Ryang's head and Flame was about to bow her head for the last time...

"Wait a moment."

A familiar voice echoed through the space.

Kaen's wand paused, and Flame’s heart throbbed, pounding.

‘Baek Yu-Seol...?’

Though she couldn’t lift her head, she could sense his presence.

He stood tall on his two legs, unaffected by Hyejin’s illusion.

"Huh? How did you break free from the illusion?"

Hyejin tilted her head in surprise and aimed her staff at him.

A magnificent magic circle spun around.

"Ta-da!"

However...

Baek Yu-Seol didn't even flinch.

"Huh?"

Even though the illusion she created was powerful enough to inflict direct harm despite being an illusion, he showed no reaction at all.

Cold sweat beaded on Hyejin’s forehead as she poured more mana into the magic circle.

The illusion magic simply didn’t affect Baek Yu-Seol. It was like trying to shatter someone’s bones only to discover they had no joints to break.

"L-Leader? My illusion isn’t working on him?"

"Don't play around and do it properly, Hyejin."

"No! I am doing it properly!"

Illusion magic fundamentally disrupted the opponent's mana, but for some reason, it felt like there wasn't a single drop of magic in Baek Yu-Seol’s body.

Since all living beings in this world were supposed to have mana, it would mean that Baek Yu-Seol had somehow produced a protective barrier to counter illusions...

‘Impossible. Did he perfectly nullify my illusion magic?’

She had cast a Class 5 illusion magic, and there was no sign of using dispel or any indication of how he was resisting it. The thought that he wasn't an ordinary mage crept up Hyejin’s spine.

She gulped hard, her voice full of tension.

“Leader. I think you should personally deal with him."