I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 96

Once in a while, Florin would receive fleeting images in her mind, like vivid dreams woven from threads of reality, as though whispers carried by an unseen force.

But these were no mere dreams.

They were messages sent by the world tree.

The world tree conveyed fragmented visions of turmoil brewing near its domain, pleading for Florin’s aid in resolving the disturbances.

Yet, with her limited ventures beyond the castle walls, Florin often entrusted the High Elf Corps to address most of these matters.

"Euh!"

As Florin slumbered within the white castle, a powerful image briefly flashed through her mind.

It was profoundly different and agonizing, unlike anything she had experienced before.

This time, it was different - raw and excruciating - unlike anything she had ever encountered.

The Divine Beasts Realm.

‘The third layer... No, the fourth layer.’

In the enigmatic fourth layer that puzzled even the elves themselves.

There, divine beasts wailed in torment. Their cries echoed through the void as they writhed in agony, their tears falling toward the heavens like shattered stars.

"This... This is...!"

Florin gritted her teeth and bravely endured the overwhelming onslaught of countless swirling emotions in her mind.

Despair, dread, rage, and sorrow battered her heart with unrelenting force, their weight enough to shatter the will of ordinary beings.

Yet Florin was no ordinary being… she was the most venerated king of the high elves.

Thud!

She bit down hard, the sharp taste of blood grounding her as she clung to consciousness.

"Dark magic…?"

Florin gazed into the empty space with a bewildered expression.

A cry for help - an urgent plea - had been sent from the Divine Beast Realm. But the sender remained cloaked in obscurity.

"This is... What in the world…?"

Though she didn't know who was sending the distress signal, what mattered was that dark magic had been detected within the Divine Beast Realm.

“I must alert the knights immediately.”

Regardless of how or by what means, even if it meant three grand mages breaking through the protective barrier and infiltrating the Divine Beast Realm…

If the fragments of truth that had seeped into her mind held any merit, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Not only were the lives of the Stella Academy students at risk, but even the divine beasts themselves could be completely corrupted.

Reopening the barrier that had been closed once would be extremely challenging, but she had to find a way to allow everyone to enter even if she had to exhaust all her remaining strength.

"How did this happen…?"

Florin staggered through the royal chamber, beads of cold sweat rolling down her forehead. Melancholic moonlight seeped through the curtains, casting her silhouette as if bidding farewell.

The burden of safeguarding the sacred beings under the world tree’s embrace weighed upon her like chains of duty and devotion.

***

The wind howled with an unnatural force.

In the Divine Beast Realm, the wind was no ordinary phenomenon. It was an imitation… a crafted illusion meant to mirror the natural world.

The wind in this space was brought forth by Pink Spring Moon, the creator of this realm.

With each step she took, the dark magic that had tainted the land began to shift. Its menacing hues softened, melting into a gentle shade of pink as purification spread outward.

It required an immense amount of energy to achieve this, but it was worth it.

For her children, no sacrifice was too great… even if it meant sinking once more into the depths of slumber.

Wherever her footsteps fell, plum blossoms burst into bloom. Darkness retreated, giving way to vibrant waves of pink.

Walking forward was no struggle.

It was the return journey that might test her limits… or so she quietly mused.

The divine beasts tainted by dark magic writhed in agony.

It tore at her heart to witness their suffering. Yet, in her weakened state, saving them all was beyond her reach.

For now, she could only restrain their descent into further chaos.

Pink Spring Moon raised her gaze.

The third layer.

She reminisced about the human who had rushed to the place where the source of dark magic emerged.

He was astonishingly feeble and fragile, a boy who she considered to be of no more value than a handful of dust.

And yet, despite his frailty, the moment he sensed the presence of darkness, he had hurled himself toward it without the slightest hesitation.

Even though he knew he couldn't triumph, it was as if opposing the darkness was his unwavering resolve and purpose to live.

Perhaps it was possible.

What kind of resolve allowed him to face such peril, knowing his life could be snuffed out in an instant?

Pressing onward, Pink Spring Moon crossed the barrier into the third layer, her brow furrowed.

Having rarely left the 15th layer where her true self resided, she felt a bit dizzy.

But she pressed on, undeterred.

The vicinity had already fallen into extreme silence.

Fragments of shattered dark magic littered the ground, and the young humans who had battled against it now lay scattered, unconscious and battered.

In the midst of that gruesome sight, a boy named Baek Yu-Seol leaned against a tree with his eyes closed.

Having exhausted every ounce of his strength, he had fallen into a state of unconsciousness.

Pink Spring Moon approached him, cradled the boy in her arms, and infused him with her energy.

‘Prove that you are willing to stake your life for the divine beasts.’

She imposed those impossible words upon the boy.

‘Stake your life…’

For anyone in the world, their own life would be treasured above all else.

That was why the boy was taken aback.

She assumed his surprise arose from her inability to offer proof of what she demanded of him.

However…

As soon as the opportunity presented itself, the boy promptly proved it. He proved his resolve without delay. His astonishment had not been born of reluctance, but rather the sheer impossibility of the task itself.

A human who would willingly sacrifice his life for the divine beasts.

To Pink Spring Moon, who had lived for countless years, he was both unfamiliar and intriguing.

— How is it possible for a human to be like this?

With most of her ancient knowledge and memories sealed away, she could not begin to grasp the enigma that was Baek Yu-Seol.

And that left her deeply unsettled.

After so long, she had finally come across a human she could trust.

Yet to prove his worth, he had risked not only his life… but hers as well.

But…

— In the end, you've really done it.

The boy had triumphed over the dark magic, and with the host vanquished, the tainted energy began to dissolve, purifying itself.

Baek Yu-Seol had proven his worth, becoming a guardian for her and the divine beasts.

— Though my current power is but a flicker…

Pink Spring took out a small bead from her embrace and placed it in Baek Yu-Seol’s chest.

It was the heart of a familiar she cherished who died in her embrace.

Now the heart that had lost its owner would beat again for a spirit loved by Baek Yu-Seol.

At last, she brushed her fingers across his forehead.

Woong!

A soft pink light radiated outward, its gentle hum resonating in the air. Baek Yu-Seol’s body shuddered faintly, but his eyes remained shut.

The backlash had drained him too deeply to awaken immediately. But he would endure.

For he had been granted one of the twelve divine moons’ rarest blessings—

'Pink Spring Moon's Blessing.’

— This should be enough repayment...

Did she overdo it?

Pouring her strength into purifying the dark magic and then bestowing a blessing.

But it was alright.

For a human like him, no effort was too great.

And as Pink Spring Moon entrusted him with her power, somewhere nearby… someone else stirred awake.

It was Hong Bi-Yeon, the silver-haired girl with a red aura.

Her bewildered gaze fell upon Pink Spring, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Pink Spring responded with a mischievous smile and placed her index finger lightly against her lips.

— Keep this a secret.

Unable to defy the might of the divine moon, Hong Bi-Yeon nodded in a daze.

And just like that, Pink Spring Moon vanished, as fleeting as a summer breeze.

"What in the world...?"

Hong Bi-Yeon remained standing there in a state of disbelief.

***

"Urgh..."

A sharp headache coursed through her.

Flame clutched at her head, her breaths ragged and shallow.

Every movement felt like agony… an unbearable weight crushing her from within, as though her very lungs were being ripped apart.

"How... How do I even breathe...?"

Her body screamed in protest, battered and spent, as if she had sprinted until every muscle gave out.

But she couldn't afford to lose consciousness again.

A strong intuition urged her to stay alert, and she forcefully opened her eyes.

But there was no mana.

She couldn't sense any trace of it.

Could it be the aftermath of using higher-level magic?

Her mana had yet to recover, leaving her completely depleted.

“Maizen Tyren, the dark mage.”

Is she still alive?

A chill raced down her spine as she grit her teeth, struggling to lift herself despite the weight pressing down on her limbs.

And then she saw her.

Before Flame stood an unwavering young girl who struggled to stand despite her wavering legs.

It was Hong Bi-Yeon Adolveit.

She gazed somewhere in a daze before turning her head to meet Hong Bi-Yeon’s eyes.

"Are you awake?"

"What... How did this happen? Ugh..."

The moment she opened her mouth, a throbbing headache surged through her as if she were about to spew blood.

It was reminiscent of a hangover in her past life, but even after a night of indulging in whiskey and wine, she had never experienced such excruciating pain.

She fought to suppress the agony and shifted her gaze towards the spot where Hong Bi-Yeon had been looking.

Baek Yu-Seol lay slumped against a jagged rock, his breath faint but steady, lost in the depths of unconsciousness.

Beside him, Ma Yu-Seong’s body lay sprawled, riddled with wounds.

And in front of them was a radiant core of dark magic.

That was the energy that erupted when a powerful dark mage met their end… a lingering essence akin to the remnants of their existence.

"Could it be…"

Hong Bi-Yeon instinctively met her gaze, her silent nod confirming the unspoken.

The dark mage, Maizen Tyren, was dead.

Most likely, it was the result of Baek Yu-Seol and Ma Yu-Seong’s efforts.

‘In this world... can something like this really happen?’

Ma Yu-Seong possessed extraordinary abilities as a blessed individual, and even though Flame knew Baek Yu-Seol was a regressor, it was still a profoundly shocking turn of events.

She never expected a Class 6 dark mage to be defeated.

"Ha, unbelievable…"

They were truly unpredictable individuals.

‘That man... Always playing tricks, yet whenever a crisis arises, he jumps in and resolves it.’

Perhaps it was his strength.

Because he was a regressor - because he bore that weighty sense of duty - he had the resolve to achieve the impossible.

His ceaseless efforts to defy expectations gave rise to such miracles.

Miracles weren't things that simply happened; they were things you pursued and seized.

***

"Hmm..."

"What is it?"

"I... I'm not dead...?"

One by one, the students started to wake up.

Strangely, the oppressive dark magic that once lingered in the area had completely dissipated. Even the corrupted divine beasts had been purified.

Not all traces of darkness had vanished, however. In the distance, some familiars still writhed in shadow, their presence radiating malice.

Suddenly, green beams of light erupted from all directions, and the divine beasts began their transformation, returning to their natural forms.

This was true nature magic wielded by the genuine fairies, a magic that surpassed anything Flame had ever witnessed.

It was pure, invigorating, and infused with an enchanting essence.

A rescue team had been sent by the world tree, their arrival a testament to Baek Yu-Seol’s triumph over Maizen Tyren’s malevolence.

With everyone now safe and the future preserved, a sense of relief washed over Flame, causing her legs to weaken as she sank to the ground.

"I'm alive..."

It was at that moment that the reality of her survival truly sank in.

***

At the pinnacle of the world tree, amidst the enchanting realm of the Sky Flower Cradle, stood the elven king's abode, known as the White Castle.

Every wall, corridor, and piece of furniture was woven from living plants.

While other elven settlements embraced similar harmony with nature, the elven king’s castle stood apart… its splendor unmatched, adorned with rare and wondrous flora.

Tables crafted from apples and grapes, tapestries woven from the pinecone ornaments of a millennia-old oak tree, dreamcatchers adorned with the vibrant essence of life, self-illuminating elderwood lamps and chandeliers, and partitions crafted from sturdy beechwood.

Despite the absence of precious gemstones or intricate artworks, the opulence and beauty of the castle were unparalleled.

However, Florin had no leisure to explore the grandeur surrounding her.

From the outset, even the simple act of traversing the palace's interior would be deemed an inconvenience to those in her presence.

“Your Majesty, the rescue team has successfully extracted the students of Stella Academy. Additionally, the First Celestial Knights have personally subdued the rampaging divine beasts, and the Purification Corps is restoring them to their original forms.”

"It seems the situation has been resolved swiftly and effectively."

Seated in her dimly lit office, Florin listened intently as the report arrived through long-range communication.

“Yes, the students of Stella Academy voluntarily took down the dark mage. The body of the dark mage disappeared, making it impossible to ascertain their identity. We may need to interview the individuals who engaged in combat with the dark mage for further investigation.

"I see."

Florin let out a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate the crisis had been averted.

While the corruption of the divine beasts had been a pressing concern, the greater fear lay in the potential diplomatic fallout.

Failure to protect the students of the world’s most prestigious neutral institution would have undoubtedly invited global condemnation.

Elders of the Sky Flower Cradle or other kings of the world trees, always eyeing the position of ‘Fairy King,’ could have exploited this politically.

"Did all the students make it out safely?"

“Yes, there was no casualty. Surprisingly, even after the skirmish, some students who hadn't formed contracts yet were voluntarily seeking out divine beast. It's quite remarkable…”

"Hehe, Stella truly has a bunch of broad-minded students."

“Indeed. However, we refrained from intervening since they were the ones who protected our divine beasts.”

"You did well. I’d like to speak personally with the students who actively participated in the battle. Have you contacted the principal of Stella Academy yet?"

“They expressed their desire to have a direct conversation with you soon.”

"Hmm... Very well."

‘What should I say to the principal?’

As Elthman had a fondness for the elves, he wouldn't unnecessarily interfere.

Yet, guilt lingered in her heart, prompting Florin to consider preparing a gift as a gesture of apology.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.

Florin’s mind drifted back to the vision she saw before.

It depicted a being imbued with the essence of her long-time friend, the spirit, Leafanel.

While she couldn't discern their face as it remained veiled, their attire was unmistakably that of Stella Academy.

Most likely, they had participated in the recent Familiar Contract Ceremony.

If she could examine them closely, she might uncover their true identity, but...

There was a lingering concern that her curse could spread to over a thousand students if she revealed herself.

As her resentment deepened, she fought to suppress her emotions, reminding herself not to inflict harm on innocent victims.

"When the time comes, I’ll seize the opportunity.”

Her animosity towards the detestable culprit simmered beneath the surface, yet she suppressed it with her willpower.

She yearned for the day when she could confront them face-to-face.