Demon-Hunting Genius Mage

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 127

[......]

Asion Gale was speechless, his mouth just opening and closing as if he couldn't believe it.

I asked him.

"What's wrong?"

He seemed quite surprised, but I was just as surprised.

My spatial magic was stronger than I had expected, but I didn't think it would cause this kind of reaction.

Besides, Asion Gale had just felt my spatial magic a few hours ago, hadn't he?

That's why it felt even more strange.

But perhaps it wasn't the case for him.

[......You've already transcended the level of a viper. Amazing. This is truly amazing.]

Without answering my question, he was busy spouting out exclamations of admiration.

It was a long time before Asion Gale looked at me.

And.

[Your spatial magic has already surpassed the limits of the 5th Circle.]

He suddenly told me that my magic had exceeded the limits of the 5th Circle.

Naturally, I was taken aback.

"Excuse me? What does that mean..."

[No, in the first place, it's strange that the 5th Circle can handle that level of spatial magic.]

"....Then what level is it, exactly?"

Asion Gale replied with a resolute face to my question.

[7th Circle.]

"....7th Circle?"

It was an answer I couldn't help but be surprised by.

7th Circle.

That was a stage two Circles ahead of my current power, and a realm called a high-ranking mage!

My mind couldn't quite believe it, so I asked again.

"Is my spatial magic really at the level of a 7th Circle mage?"

[Yes.]

Asion Gale nodded, confidently confirming it as if there was no mistake.

No, it didn't end there.

[It's not just spatial magic. The Light Attribute Magic you used on your body has already surpassed the realm of the 6th Circle.]

"Excuse me?"

Asion Gale gave an even more surprising answer.

'My Light Magic is also 7th Circle?'

My head was filled with questions.

[Yes, to be honest, I was skeptical at first. No matter how much you unraveled the tangled mana circuits in the Room of Time and Mind, skipping two stages at once is a very rare occurrence. But... I'm certain. You are already at the realm of the 7th Circle.]

My whole body trembled at those words, and my hands started shaking.

How should I accept this situation?

There was only one judgment I could make.

"....Professor Ziren. Please call Professor Ziren."

To meet a 7th Circle mage directly and confirm.

Then, I would soon be able to reach an accurate conclusion.

***

Ziren Renata, a professor at Asion Academy and someone directly assisting Dean Asion Gale.

The moment she received the sudden order, she clutched her throbbing head.

"...Ugh, what is this all about all of a sudden?"

On the communicator she was looking at, there was a short and resolute message.

[To the Multi-Purpose Duel Room immediately. Duel with student Yuhan.]

-Asion Gale, Dean of the Academy-

"A duel, you say..."

The alcohol she had poured down her throat last night hadn't even worn off yet.

But suddenly, a duel?

And with Yuhan of all people...

"When I tell them to work hard, they don't, and when they should be resting, they're working hard..."

She was already sick and tired of it.

And no wonder, wasn't Yuhan the student whose talent was unbelievable?

"They said he made enormous contributions in this war too..."

A duel with such a student.

It was obvious what kind of event would unfold without even looking.

It would be a very tiring duel that she couldn't slack off even a little.

With her condition being so bad, it was something she was reluctant to do.

But what could she do?

Ziren didn't really have a choice.

No matter how lenient and easygoing Asion Gale might seem, the dean was afterall the dean.

Even if she didn't want to, she had no choice but to follow the order.

"Hmm."

After hesitating for a moment, she nodded as if she had made up her mind.

Still, she had fortunately made a plan of her own.

"...I'll finish it quickly and get some rest."

A plan to end the duel as quickly as possible and enjoy a sweet rest again.

Even though she would have to go all out, and it wouldn't help the student's development, there was nothing she could do.

"I'm a person too..."

Right now, the minimum rest she should take as a human was more important than her posture as a professor.

Thinking that, Ziren trudged along.

***

Had about an hour passed?

Around that time, the professor Ziren I had been waiting for finally appeared.

And she wasn't dressed neatly as usual, but rather in a disheveled state.

At first glance, it was clear that she had just woken up.

I felt a little guilty for no reason.

"Um, I... Did you hear about it?"

I asked cautiously, and she nodded with a sullen face.

"Yes, I heard you suddenly requested a duel?"

"Ah, yes. It's just, there's something I want to test a little. I feel like my skills have improved a bit..."

"Hmm, I see. I understand perfectly. It's because you're still passionate about magic."

Professor Ziren's tone was kind.

Fortunately, she seemed to understand why I had called her here.

Of course, the kind tone was just up to there.

"But being complacent is very dangerous. Magic is by no means an ability that can be improved in a short period. If you become intoxicated with your own power and talent like that, you will soon be frustrated."

"Excuse me? What do you mean..."

"I mean, don't be too impatient. With this kind of haphazard sparring, your skills will never improve. Only constant effort, and more constant effort, is the way to develop your skills."

"......"

What is this person talking about?

She was being kind, but her words felt sharp.

Her face clearly showed that she had something to say.

As I was staring blankly at Ziren with that thought, she sighed deeply and said,

"......Hoo, from now on, I hope you only call me when a duel is absolutely necessary."

"Ah......"

And only then did I understand the reason for Ziren's long words.

'......She's displeased.'

It seemed that calling her out early in the morning was still not to her liking.

'No wonder Ziren kept her distance as soon as she arrived.'

I glanced at Asion Gale, who was tucked away in a corner.

Asion Gale, who met my gaze, gave me an awkward smiling look.

It was a look that clearly said, "Hehe... the aftermath is up to you."

'I hope she's not angry?'

Just as I was thinking that.

"Instead, I will give you a proper match today. Will that satisfy you?"

Crack, crack!

Professor Ziren, who stretched her neck to the side, sent a signal.

It meant that she was about to start the duel.

"Yes, that's exactly what I wanted."

"Very well. Let's begin then."

With those words, she took out a rather thick book from her bosom.

It seemed that this was the weapon that Professor Ziren used...

"Hmm."

It didn't look very efficient to me.

If I kept my eyes on that, I wouldn't be able to fully concentrate on the battle.

Although, as someone who hadn't used that kind of weapon, I couldn't give a definite answer.

Well, there was no need to worry too much anyway.

'I'll find out soon enough.'

I would know whether that weapon was effective or not once I clashed with her.

"Then I'll go first."

"......"

I took Professor Ziren's silence as a sign of agreement and immediately gathered my mana.

The first spell I cast was the same Light Magic as before.

Swaaaaash!

The power of light filling my body.

I calmly felt it and then gently stepped forward.

At that moment.

Paaaang!

My body was launched like an arrow, as always.

It was a speed that couldn't even be compared to when I used the Lightning Attribute Transformation Magic.

Of course, there was no incident of me failing to control my power and crashing into the wall like before.

While waiting for her to come, I had practiced quite a bit through the duel with Asion Gale.

As such, my body was perfectly directed towards Ziren, and when I got close enough.

I threw a punch while maintaining my speed.

Bbaaaack!

My fist had landed squarely in her abdomen.

"Keugh!"

Ziren slumped to the ground as if she was having trouble breathing.

The moment I saw that, I was so flustered.

'Why didn't she react?'

Because I naturally expected Ziren to react when I threw a punch.

Who would have thought that she would allow the attack without any resistance like this?

I was genuinely worried and asked cautiously.

"....Are you alright?"

"......"

Ziren didn't give any particular answer.

She simply maintained that posture without any response.

How much time had passed?

Ziren cleared her throat and suddenly got up from her seat.

Her nonchalant expression was as if she was telling me with her face that nothing had just happened.

"....I was thinking about something else for a moment. Let's continue."

I didn't know if those words were true, but... well, it wasn't an important matter.

"Yes."

I immediately nodded and cast the spell again.

This time, I detonated the condensed mana that Asion Gale had praised, adding dark attribute mana, and displayed dozens of magic circles behind my back.

Whoooom!

Then, a pitch-black hole was created in an instant.

The casting speed was definitely faster now that I had used it a few times.

This time, Ziren also used magic to counter it.

"Ignite."

Ignite.

It was the same magic that Kayla had used before.

However, it was ambiguous to say that it was really the same magic.

Whirrrrr!

To anyone who looked at it, it seemed much more powerful than the Ignite that Kayla had shown us.

Trrrrr!

A single stream of fire, connected from the tip of Ziren's staff, cut through the floor and approached me at a terrifying speed.

And at the moment when I was wondering how to respond to this.

Swaaaaash!

For some reason, Ziren's flame disappeared before it even reached me.

It didn't take long to figure out the situation.

'....It got eaten?'

The powerful suction of the Void Magic had swallowed the Ignite.

And then came silence.

"......"

Neither Ziren nor Asion Gale said anything, and only then did I realize that something was strange.

Ziren was underestimating me too much, and my magic had really become incredibly strong.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

My heart was pounding like crazy at the thought that what Asion Gale had said wasn't a lie.

I wanted to test my mana against Ziren's as soon as possible.

If possible, a little more fun.

I broke the silence first and said.

"Um... Professor. You can go all out now."

Then.

"Heut! Hehehehe!"

Suddenly, Ziren started giggling like a crazy person.

She, who had only shown a dignified appearance usually, was acting like this, so it looked bizarre.

"....Professor?"

Even to my question, Professor Ziren just kept muttering something.

"Hehehe! I understand now... It's interesting, it's interesting...."@@novelbin@@

And then.

Pak!

She abruptly stopped laughing and lifted her head.

"You are truly a student who is fun to teach."

By that time, her eyes were somehow different.

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]