Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 106
Typically, the Midterm Exam features three Dark Mages.
They don’t gather in one place—instead, they hide separately, then appear all at once when the exam begins.
They summon demons by making sacrifices, which the professors handle while the students deal with the Dark Mages.
Most first-year students currently rank between lower and intermediate tier.
Asking such first-years to take down Upper-Tier Black Mages is absolutely ridiculous—.
‘And they’re Dark Mages from the Circle of Truth, no less.’
Generally, Dark Mages burn Life Force as fuel, so they’re extremely sensitive about their own reserves.
These Circle of Truth Dark Mages consume several times the normal Life Force to cast Black Magic far beyond their rank.
Because of this, the Circle of Truth members were vastly stronger than ordinary Dark Mages.
There were seven of them in the Assembly Hall.
The difficulty—already absurd—had shot up by two entire levels.
Which meant—.
‘A double-experience event.’
Just then, something terrible rose from the crimson circle.
Through the wavering flames, a thousand serpents spewed red blood and hissed with flickering tongues.
A demon.
Though the Gate Opening was far from perfect.
That made sense. No matter how much Life Force an Upper-Tier Black Mage poured in, they couldn’t achieve a perfect Gate Opening.
Either way, it was still utterly ridiculous.
The demon shrieked something at me.
A crimson Curse poured down upon me. A truly vicious one.
I adjusted my grip on the Security Staff.
Pure white light blazed along the staff.
“Ha ha! Black Magic’s weakness to Holy Force only applies when the ranks are equal! You sanctimonious fool!”
For some reason, Dark Mages always seemed to talk this much.
I didn’t mind—it kept me entertained.
I drove the Security Staff toward the Curse. Where it connected, the white light burst into flames like oil set aflame.
“Wh—what?! A demon’s Curse, broken so easily—?! You’re a High-Ranking Priest! Why would a High-Ranking Priest be here—?!”
A middle-aged man gasped in shock.
I brushed off my staff and answered him.
“I told you. I received a complaint about a demon sighting.”
“That’s nonsense! I only just summoned the demon!”
The middle-aged man bellowed.
“Don’t worry about the details.”
“That’s hardly a detail—.”
“I’ll count to three. Surrender before then. One—.”
“Insolent! I am Hormatun! Offer to me. Extraction!”
The middle-aged man reached out toward the others.
Something opaque ripped from their mouths with a sound like pop.
Spirits. Life Force itself.
‘He’s using Extraction?’
Extraction was a High-Rank Dark Magic that forcibly seized the target’s Life Force.
It was essential for Dark Mages who burned through Life Force at alarming rates.
Some said that the ability to cast Extraction separated true Dark Mages from pretenders.
Yet Extraction was among the most difficult High-Rank Dark Magics, and this Upper-Tier mage was casting it—how?
‘Ah, he pre-inscribed the Curse.’
Watching the others vomit up spirits on cue, I clicked my tongue.
It seemed he’d pre-inscribed the Extraction formula on the others beforehand.
They were being treated like living batteries.
‘That’s the Circle of Truth for you.’
Extraction synergized perfectly with Circle of Truth Dark Mages, who burned through enormous amounts of Life Force.
Of course, the same applied to me.
“Extraction.”
I twisted my empty hand in reverse.
The Life Force flowing toward him froze mid-air. Then it slowly began drifting toward me instead.
“Wh—what is this—?”
Among all professions, Dark Mages maintain the strictest hierarchy.
Even if he’d pre-inscribed formulas on the others, he was Upper-Tier and I was High-Ranking.
The gap between us was immense.
“My Life Force! You thief!”
The middle-aged man screamed, blood spilling from his lips.
“Why would that be yours?”
“Wha—.”
“Good. I was getting hungry anyway.”
I waved my hand casually.
Life Force flowed in through my fingertips.
The sensation of Extraction always felt slightly unsettling.
“How dare you take what is mine! Unforgivable!! Glory to the Demon King! Glory to the Abyss!”
The middle-aged man chanted the familiar slogan—the same battle cry the Circle of Truth members shouted in the game.
At that moment, blood fountained from his body. His cheeks hollowed like a mummy’s.
He’d poured his own life away without hesitation.
And the effect was remarkable.
The crimson circle on the ground suddenly vibrated violently.
A sinister aura emanated thickly from the magical formation.
With a sickening crack, monstrous arms erupted from within.
Demon arms.
The demon’s arms seized the sides of the circle and wrenched it open sideways.
The demon was manifesting fully.
‘A true Gate Opening.’
An Upper-Tier Black Mage achieving a complete Gate Opening—I couldn’t fathom how much Life Force he’d sacrificed.
And yet—.
‘It’s taking far too long.’
Because it was a forced opening, the demon’s emergence moved at a snail’s pace.
“Can’t you hurry? I’m in a bit of a rush.”
The bloodshot eyes of the man holding the Gate fixed on me. He seemed to be giving his absolute best effort.
Looking at that, a genuine curiosity seized me.
“What if I attack right now and slit your throat? Is it against the rules to strike during transformation?”
At my question, the middle-aged man’s crimson face went noticeably pale.
“Don’t—don’t you dare resort to cowardice!”
“Cowardice? I call it efficiency. Hmm.”
“Ngh! Faster! Faster!”
The moment I shifted my grip on the Security Staff, the demon began emerging faster.
Watching the middle-aged man’s skin hollow and stretch in real time, he’d clearly poured in more Life Force.
Soon the demon tore through space and emerged.
Its head bore goat horns and ox horns alike; its mouth bristled with hundreds of serpents like teeth; its arms were a hybrid of insectoid and bestial form.
A demon.
Ding!
[Sudden Quest] Demon Slaying
Objective: Slay the demon
‘Ah, there it is.’
I smiled with satisfaction at the translucent notification panel floating before me.
Zzzt—.
A cool metallic sound rang out from my right chest.
Something inside me was already wild with eagerness to devour this demon.
What dwelt within me had devoured even the High-Ranking Demon that Dracov had contracted.
This creature would be easy prey.
But—.
‘I don’t know what this demon is.’
My situation was already unstable with the Black Aura as it was.
Feeding a demon whose nature I didn’t understand would only increase the danger.
Better to wait until I’d raised my Dark Mage stats with the Fragment of Foreign God first.
Zzzt.
The metallic sound rang coolly again, accompanied by a weighty jolt.
That was as much as I could allow.
I traced a Holy Sign.
Pure white light blazed along my hand, and the metallic sound quieted.
“Kha ha ha! Now you’re finished!”
The middle-aged man cried out with overflowing confidence. Though his face had withered like a mummy, his conviction was unshaken.
It made sense—an Upper-Tier Black Mage had achieved a complete Gate Opening and summoned a demon. He had every right to be confident.
I wrapped my feet in Aura and stomped hard against the ground.
The distance closed in an instant.
The demon reached for me, its grotesque hand spreading wide like a claw. Even that alone radiated a terrifying hostility befitting a demon.
I drove my Security Staff, wrapped in pure white light, straight toward the demon.
“Fool! Holy Force’s superiority over Black Magic applies only among equal ranks! To face a fully manifested demon, you’d need at least a High-Ranking Priest—.”
The pure white light engulfing the staff burned through the demon with ease.
｢──────!｣
The demon shrieked in agony.
“A—a High-Ranking Priest?! Why would a High-Ranking Priest be working as a security guard—?! No, even a High-Ranking Priest can’t face a demon alone without a Knight!”
Ignoring the middle-aged man’s frantic cries, I twisted the staff and whipped it in a long arc.
The pure white light traced across the demon’s torso, splaying outward in both directions.
The demon forsook defense and poured all its attacks toward me instead.
Pure, unyielding malice that didn’t spare its own life—truly befitting a demon.
Of course, none of it reached me.
Pure white light flowed gently across my body.
Divine Aura.
Where the attacking demon touched the Divine Aura, it scattered instead.
I swung the Security Staff toward the demon’s exposed neck.
The pure white light carved across its neck, burning fiercely.
As the Holy Force incinerated the demon, a vast surge of Life Force washed over me.
My mind reeled with a profound elation.
I slowly gathered the Life Force to myself. It had been long since I felt this satisfied.
Sudden Quest “Demon Slaying” cleared! Record time achieved! A remarkable feat accomplished! Rewards granted!
Warning! Growth limit reached! Unable to grant stat points!
Additional stats unlocked! Please select your preferred stat!
A pleasant notification.
I chose without hesitation.
You have selected Luck. Rewards granted.
This time there was no special prize.
“Ugh… uh…”
The mummified middle-aged man stood dumbfounded, his mouth gaping uselessly.
“Can we do that one more time?”
I looked at him and licked my lips.
“Th—the demon—.”
The man trembled violently.
* * *
‘A demon hiding in the Assembly Hall?’
Ludrick drew deeply on his cigarette, studying the Assembly Hall before him.
It was like a thief hiding in a police station to catch his pursuers off guard.
It made no sense whatsoever.
And yet—.
“Huff… huff…”
Milo was stretching with full concentration, his face tight with tension.
“You really think there’s a demon in that Assembly Hall?”
“If Grave said there is, then there is.”
Milo answered in a firm voice. He seemed to genuinely believe Grave’s word.
“That’s foolish.”
“Foolish? Whose foolishness are you talking about? Mine? Or Grave’s?”
Milo emphasized the name, clenching his fists. He looked ready to charge at Ludrick on the spot.
Milo was quick to start fights and quick to challenge anyone.
Much of the bad reputation Class 42 had in the Security Corps came down to Milo.
On the other hand, he’d been quite decent to his squad mates—especially respectful toward Ludrick, who’d shown him the ropes as the newest member back then.
For such a Milo to clench his fists at Ludrick now, of all people.
‘He’s completely turned.’
Whether Milo sided with Grave or not was hardly Ludrick’s concern.
He’d only gotten tangled up with the man because of a pointless bet involving Scarlett. Originally, he’d wanted nothing to do with any of this.
“… Be careful, sir.”
Just then, Milo spoke up hesitantly.
Be careful? One of Ludrick’s eyebrows twitched upward.
“Grave doesn’t usually move first. Just stay out of his way.”
A warning about Grave.
It was absurd, but Milo’s voice had been deadly serious.
“I’m only telling you because you’re Ludrick.”
“Much appreciated.”
Ludrick tapped off his cigarette.
Then—.
｢──────!｣
A horrific shriek echoed from inside the Assembly Hall.
A cry that struck at the very roots of instinct—a demon.
‘There really was a demon?’
“Grave!!!!”
Milo suddenly bolted toward the Assembly Hall. His pace held not a shred of hesitation.
‘That idiot!’
Ludrick drew his Security Staff and twisted it. The staff extended and transformed into a spear.
Just then, the Assembly Hall door opened and Grave emerged.
Grave was perfectly fine. He looked exactly as he had when he went in.
In fact, he looked somehow more refreshed.
“Where’s the demon?!”
“Dealt with it.”
Ludrick had sensed the demon’s presence mere moments ago.
Yet it was already handled?
An absurd joke.
The problem was—.
“Apparently there are still two more demons left.”
It sounded nothing like a joke.
Ludrick swallowed hard.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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