Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 361

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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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Summoning Genius of the Necromancer School — Episode 361
Simon had come to Pentamonium only to hear that the Magnus Legion was preparing a sinister plan.
“What about the wine?”
“I’m on duty at the moment, so we can skip that. I’ll get straight to the point.”
It was yesterday, under the full moon on the roof of the Lodging, when Kassan had summoned him.
“I have a report on a mission.”
What Simon heard from Kassan was rather shocking.
The Magnus Legion’s “Invasion of Rocksum” that had occurred several months ago.
Even though it turned out to be a split body rather than his true self, the fact that Magnus had penetrated Rocksum was a major issue. Such an infiltration would have been impossible unless there was a traitor within our own ranks.
In response, Neftis assembled a dedicated investigative unit and, by examining the Ravens member on duty during the incident, Evangelus, uncovered evidence that he was collaborating with Magnus.
However, Neftis did not immediately arrest him. Instead, she placed a curse on Evangelus without his knowledge and waited until she could gather conclusive evidence.
The curse was designed to send a signal to headquarters whenever Evangelus spoke the name “Magnus.”
As time passed, they confirmed that Evangelus had spoken the name “Magnus” multiple times since his dispatch to Pentamonium.
Neftis’s closest Ravens operatives came at once and arrested him. As they applied a Mental Curse to extract information, his brain burned out. Evangelus was far from defenseless—he had placed a curse on himself that would trigger death when certain keywords were activated.
“Because Evangelus died too soon, the information the Ravens managed to gather was only two things.”
Kassan held up two fingers toward Simon.
“First, an Ancient Undead from the Magnus Legion is present here in Pentamonium. And second.”
That second finger pointed at Simon.
“Tomorrow, they will execute a plan to seize you.”
Evangelus had died after setting everything in motion on schedule. Because they didn’t know the details of the plan, there was no way to stop it in advance.
So the Ravens informed Pentamonium of what they’d learned so far, and Pentamonium, refusing to be shaken by such a crude abduction, tripled its security and declared its intention to proceed with the Academic Conference.
“Their target is you, Simon. The Ravens have sent down a recommendation that you return to Rocksum. Pack your things right now—”
“No.”
Simon shook his head and met Kassan’s eyes.
“This is a crisis and an opportunity. I’ll use myself as bait.”
Whether Simon was there or not, their plan would be executed in Pentamonium.
And the Ancient Undead who would execute the abduction still didn’t know about Evangelus’s death, his accomplice.
Based on these two facts, Simon made a bold decision.
“The idea of using yourself as bait to draw out the Ancient Undead has merit, but it’s simply too dangerous.”
“Too dangerous?”
Simon gripped the hem of his School Uniform.
“Then let me rephrase: when have I ever been safe? In Rocksum or in Pentamonium, Magnus has always thrown me into danger! If I can’t escape his threat no matter where I go, then instead—”
Simon’s eyes shone with resolve.
“I’ll strike back on my own terms.”
In the end, Kassan conveyed Simon’s proposal to the Ravens through communication, and they accepted it.
“Kassan. Let me confirm once more. You’re certain that Ancient Undead doesn’t know about Evangelus’s death?”
“Yes, I’m certain. The autopsy found no traces of any other curse.”
“Good. Then from now on, leave it to me and my legion.”
Simon summoned Erzsebet, who had been waiting in his Subspace, and ordered her to shapeshift into Evangelus.
Then, with Evangelus appearing as if alive and conducting business normally, they waited for the attackers to approach first.
And the very next day, the plan of the Ancient Undead, the Zombie Butler, began.
The Zombie Butler’s plan far exceeded everyone’s expectations. It wasn’t merely a surprise abduction—he had punched a hole in Pentamonium’s barrier and summoned zombies into the city.
Even so, having received a tip from the Ravens, Pentamonium responded swiftly and minimized casualties, but the Zombie Butler’s scheme was meticulous.
He had laid out several contingency plans based on Simon’s movements. And his main plan centered on Sasha.
When the external attack triggered an alarm, Pentamonium would automatically deploy barriers in all the Glass Towers. If the Zombie Butler sent zombies into the tower where Sasha was and tore up the first floor, he calculated that Simon would tear through the barrier to rescue her.
Simon had pierced even a Saint’s barrier in the Neutral Zone. The Zombie Butler had precisely identified that only Simon could tear through Pentamonium’s barrier from this Neutral Zone.
And so, in a sealed location cut off from all outside contact, Simon and the Zombie Butler met. Then Evangelus arrived with Sasha taken captive, and the Zombie Butler believed everything was unfolding perfectly according to his script—but.
“From the very beginning, I—”
At the most decisive moment, Evangelus’s face split in half.
“Wasn’t on your side.”
The Evangelus whom the Zombie Butler had trusted absolutely as an ally was in fact Erzsebet in disguise. She hadn’t abducted Sasha—she had protected her.
Neftis’s strategic arrangement. Combined with Simon’s cunning in exploiting it to the fullest and striking back at the Zombie Butler, it was a masterstroke.
And Simon tore away one of the Perpetual Magic Circles binding the captured Zombie Butler, opening a communication channel to his master, Magnus.
And he spoke.
“Let’s make a prisoner exchange. If you want to save this one, bring me Achemous.”
A move to draw the 5th Legion Commander, Magnus, to the negotiating table.
Simon was determined to reclaim his father’s undead in this opportunity.
“Grrrrgh!”
The Zombie Butler, ensnared in Spider Web, twisted his body with resentment.
“Don’t listen to them, Commander! If they intend to use me as a bargaining chip, you must never let me be destroyed!”
Then he turned his head.
[Never mind me—kill every last one of them!]
—Gaaahhh!
—Uwwwwaaahhh!
Nearly twenty pale zombies came rushing forward.
Serne, Kassan, Prince, and Erzsebet moved closer to Simon, taking a defensive stance.
[Hmph, well! There are quite a few of them!]
Prince leapt to the front.
[Of course, I’m a hero, so I’m definitely not scared!]
“There’s no need to worry.”
Kassan spoke in an unhurried tone.
“I’ve summoned the best reinforcement.”
Shhhoooooosh!
The moment he finished speaking.
A torrent of seawater cascaded down from the building’s ceiling like a waterfall.
The black ocean rushed in with enough force to flood the entire structure, engulfing the pale zombies in an instant—their bodies vanishing without a trace, as if a black hole were swallowing light itself.
“The innocent dreams of a young man are worth more than anything!”
And from within that black sea, a giant of a man stood with his right arm raised high.
“I cannot forgive anyone who would obstruct that dream! Hm!”
Simon shouted with a wide grin.
“President Phantassus!”
The student council president of Kizen, Phantassus, snapped his fingers. At the sound, the seawater gathered at the center exploded outward, flinging the pale zombies in all directions.
Crack!
Boom!
The destructive force was staggering. All twenty pale zombies slammed hard against the glass walls and collapsed in heaps. The impact was so violent their limbs and necks twisted backward at unnatural angles.
Phantassus laughed heartily, his voice booming.
[Is that thing actually human?]
Prince let out a dumbfounded sound. At that moment, the captive Zombie Butler’s face twisted into a faint smile.
[Useless.]
Crackle.
Hiss.
Though his entire skeleton shattered and his flesh crumbled to pulp from the impact, all twenty of the pale zombies that had fallen now stirred weakly, rising back to their feet.
[Do not underestimate them. They will move until their bodies are powder!]
Erzsebet moved her fingers to squeeze the Zombie Butler more tightly, but he only wore that sinister smile.
[Never mind me—kill that giant first!!]
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The pale zombies rushed toward Phantassus. Simon called out urgently.
“President Phantassus! Get away!”
“Hmm, I’m fine.”
He stood motionless, arms crossed, utterly at ease. The foremost pale zombie charged at the defenseless Phantassus and swung its arm, but—
Thud!
It never even reached him, crashing forehead-first to the ground instead.
Thud! Thud!
The zombies behind it met the same fate. The undead that had been shambling forward grew slower and slower, then simply collapsed flat on their faces.
[No, no!]
A moment later, all twenty pale zombies lay in a perfect circle around Phantassus at the center.
[How is this possible…?! What have you done to my hundred ghosts?!]
“Simply.”
Phantassus grinned and raised a finger.
“I put them to sleep.”
Everyone’s expression went blank.
The Zombie Butler, bound in spider silk, convulsed and screamed.
[That’s impossible! The undead have no concept of sleep!!]
“That’s certainly true.”
Phantassus stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“So I simply redefined sleep for the undead as ‘the act of ceasing all activities, including consciousness, and remaining motionless and recumbent’—and then made it happen.”
[!!! What kind of nonsense is that…!]
“That nonsense.”
Phantassus spread both arms wide.
“Is exactly what’s happening right now.”
Only then did the Zombie Butler’s expression change, as if he’d been struck in the back of the head with a hammer.
A curse mage who chewed through the laws of the living and the dead alike, rewriting them on a whim.
This was it.
‘The strongest Necromancer in Kizen Academy!’
Simon’s eyes gleamed with admiration.
“Hahahaha!!”
Hearing Phantassus’s laughter, Simon jumped and glanced at Kassan, then lowered his voice.
“K-Kassan! But what if Chairman Phantassus finds out about this?”
“Finds out what?”
“……That I’m a Legion Commander.”
“Don’t worry. The Chairman is Neftis’s most trusted confidant, just like I am. He’s someone you can rely on.”
Simon relaxed. So that was why these two, who seemed to have no connection, were so close.
That was when it happened.
-How amusing.
A voice from a third party not present in the room echoed out. Simon’s head snapped around.
Crack! Crack!
The Zombie Butler’s forehead split open, and through the gap, a human eye protruded.
The pupil clicked wetly as it surveyed the surroundings for a moment, then locked directly onto Simon.
-What do you think you’re doing with my subordinate? Simon Polentia.
The voice flowed from the Perpetual Magic Circle drawn across the Zombie Butler’s body.
[C-Commander!]
The Zombie Butler lowered his head in shame. A sinister laugh echoed from the magic circle.
-What kind of state is this? Butler. Your problem is being far too soft-hearted. You charge in with the intention of obliterating Pentamonium like that.
[……I am mortified.]
Simon turned to face Magnus’s eye protruding from the butler’s forehead, staring directly at it.
“I don’t need anything else. My demand is simple.”
Simon’s eyes gleamed.
“An exchange—Achemous for this creature.”
-Kuhahahaha!
A booming laugh burst forth. Simon kept his mouth shut and waited silently for the response.
-Bold. Very bold indeed.
Simon had already guessed Magnus’s objective.
To acquire more Ancient Undead for himself.
There was no way such a man would simply let go of his precious Ancient Undead.
And at last, Magnus spoke.
-Name the time and place, boy.

* * *
The crisis was swiftly contained.
Though the barrier had been breached and external zombies poured in, Pentamonium responded quickly to minimize civilian casualties. It was a significant advantage that the event, true to its nature as a gathering of Necromancers, had plenty of capable combatants.
Most importantly, the Zombie Butler’s purpose in orchestrating this incident was never ‘slaughter’—it was to trigger an emergency situation and thereby prompt the Glass Tower to activate its barrier.
Unlike Magnus, whose character was typically that of a ruffian, the Zombie Butler was the sort who cared deeply about the Legion’s reputation. He would carry out Simon’s abduction on Magnus’s orders, but he desperately wanted to avoid turning the entire 5th Legion against the whole Dark Alliance before nobles from across the Kingdom.
Even his master Magnus acknowledged this aspect of his nature.
-Your problem is being far too soft-hearted. You charge in with the intention of obliterating Pentamonium like that.
In the end, the Pentamonium crisis was resolved, and the Zombie Butler was captured by Simon.
Though there were no major casualties, the atmosphere had become too unsettled to continue the event, so Pentamonium declared the Academic Conference concluded and sent the attendees home.
Simon would have been forced to return to Kizen as well, but Phantassus, in his capacity as student council chairman, personally intervened on his behalf.
And now.
The prisoner exchange was to begin.
Whiiiine—
The location was a desolate grassland not far from Pentamonium.
In the sprawling plain where grass grew sparsely, Simon stood clad in Pier’s Bone Armor.
Beside him, the Zombie Butler was restrained from head to toe with Erzsebet’s spider webbing and curse talismans.
Simon checked the watch on his wrist without a word.
‘Five minutes left now.’
His lips grew parched with tension.

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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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