Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 384
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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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The Summoning Genius of the Necromancer School, Episode 384
Jane spoke.
“Get ready. We’ll descend in order.”
“……What?”
Entering the dungeon was fraught with danger. The students had to hurl themselves bare-bodied into the heart of an erupting volcano and slip precisely through that black portal.
A single misstep meant plummeting straight into magma—bones and all, melting away.
As the panicked students hesitated, Jane spoke again.
“What did you think dungeon entry entailed? It’s not something you simply walk into.”
She turned her head and gave a signal.
“Professor Walter, if you please.”
“Yes.”
Walter stepped forward once more. His parched lips parted, and a warm, gale-like voice flowed forth.
“Chasseur.”
The web of Blood Flow Magic that had covered the students’ heads now spread into the volcano’s interior, laying down like a cushion beneath them.
It held back the volcanic eruption entirely.
‘Wow!’
‘He’s blocking the entire volcano with magic!’
This was Kizen’s Blood Magic professor—a level of mastery that could hardly be called sorcery wrought from mortal blood.
“All right, we’ll enter quickly, in order.”
The students shuffled nervously, each yielding to the others to go first. The volcanic eruption had calmed somewhat, but the fear remained just as sharp.
“I’m going!”
One brave male student suddenly stepped forward. He planted his feet on the shadow aura and launched himself upward in a clean arc. Mid-flight, he spun his body with ease, turned toward the other students, and bellowed at the top of his lungs.
“See you on the other side—alive!”
His body, still cheering, passed cleanly through the portal. Scattered applause broke out across the volcano. Jane nodded approvingly.
“Well done. Next.”
A measure of composure returned to the students’ eyes.
The volcano was terrifying, but compared to what they’d already endured and overcome, it hardly seemed insurmountable. Once someone broke the ice, the rest followed in quick succession, students whistling down through the portal one after another.
“I’m heading in.”
In Team 7, Simon was first to go. A student named Dick grinned and gave Simon a high-five.
“See you as a second-year! Friend!”
Merin extended her hand.
“This time I won’t lose. I’m going for top-of-class graduation, so you give it your all too.”
She embraced Kamibarez lightly.
“Please come back safely, Simon!”
Bolstered by the energy of the three of them, Simon strode forward with purpose. He could see the teaching assistants deflecting flying debris with dark magic.
“Simon.”
Simon’s stride faltered. Professor Bahil of Curse Magic was waving at him with a gentle smile.
“Oh, Professor Bahil!”
“Travel safely. And you haven’t forgotten what I told you back then, have you?”
Simon nodded.
“I’ll hold Compelonia in reserve until the very end, and only deploy it as an absolute last resort.”
Simon’s remarkable recall—repeating it word for word—drew a smile from Bahil as well.
“Excellent.”
Simon passed Bahil and took his place in the line of students preparing for the volcano dive. They dropped off swiftly, one by one, and soon it was Simon’s turn.
“Are you well prepared for the test?”
Jane, who had been sending students off with an impassive expression, offered Simon a single word.
Simon chuckled and answered.
“Yes! I’m in peak condition!”
“……Return safely, please.”
“Thank you!”
Simon glanced back and saw his teammates approaching to queue up.
“I’m going first.”
He waved to his teammates and, without hesitation, launched himself in a clean dive. Mid-air, he rotated his body to perfect his posture, and the dark portal came into view directly ahead.
‘Good.’
As Simon descended straight toward the dungeon portal,
Boom!
Suddenly, a mountain of magma erupted through the blood-wrought net.
‘!’
There was no time to inscribe a magic circle. Simon instantly spread his palms and braced for a Martial Art Technique, but—
The Dark Magic from the two professors at the summit, Jane and Bahil, came flying like arrows to contain and sink the magma. In that moment, Simon succeeded in entering the Dungeon safely.
‘Quite a shock.’
The instant he stepped through the portal, his vision was swallowed by darkness. He was passing through a narrow rat-hole of a space at terrifying speed.
This strange sensation of crossing through space.
It felt completely different from riding a Teleport Magic Circle. It was as if he were being sucked into an entirely different world.
‘Ah!’
Then, finally, Simon saw the end of the passage. Breaking free from the long tunnel of darkness, he emerged into a dazzling world of light.
‘So this is the Dungeon!’
All around him stretched vast open sky.
A gentler gravity, subtly different from the continent, seemed to wrap around Simon’s body.
Simon felt his body descending slowly, and his vision flickered.
* * *
“…….”
Consciousness returned and his eyes opened.
He heard the soft rush of wind, the sound of grass swaying in the breeze.
The moment his eyes opened, he saw that passage—the one he’d glimpsed when first entering the Dungeon. The portal hung above him in the sky.
Around the portal hung several moons of various sizes, and countless stars sparkled against the night sky like jewels embedded in cloth.
‘I came down without a scratch.’
Simon felt a slight vertigo and pressed his hand to his forehead, then pushed himself up on his elbows.
Though the term “Dungeon” had stuck, in truth it was no different from a sort of mini-dimension.
He looked around.
“Wow…….”
It was the most beautiful night view he’d ever seen in his life.
Plants glowed with luminescent light, shining brightly. Even the rocks and boulders scattered along the path emitted their own glow.
All these variegated lights of different colors and sizes merged together into what could only be called a festival of radiance.
It was breathtaking.
For a moment, he even found himself thinking that if he were trapped in this space forever, watching nothing but this sight, he could be happy—lost in wonder.
‘Right, focus.’
He’d been dropped into a perilous Dungeon; he couldn’t let himself become entranced by the scenery. He sprang to his feet.
‘What should I do first?’
The objective of a Dungeon was always the same.
The death of the “Dungeon Master,” what some called the boss monster.
The basic approach was to explore the Dungeon while collecting various clues, then combine those clues to estimate the Dungeon Master’s location.
But Jane had said that this Dungeon’s size rivaled the territory of an entire kingdom.
It would take time.
With six hundred and forty-seven Necromancers deployed all at once, the Dungeon would eventually be cleared, but there was no way to know how long it would take.
‘Long campaign ahead. Start by gathering food.’
The provisions he’d brought were just two days’ worth of Food Kits provided by Kizen, plus an artifact that could produce drinking water.
The students couldn’t smuggle food in. They’d undergone thorough subspace inspections by Kizen before entering the Dungeon—especially when they mentioned they’d be running a Pocket Space Radar, Simon had felt genuine dread.
Simon possessed a massive hidden subspace on his body. Pier had advised that if too many Ancient Undead were taken along, the radar might detect subspace distortion, so for now he’d brought only the most essential one: Pier.
‘In any case, even if I clear this as fast as possible, it’ll be at least a week-long marathon. Food is going to be my biggest concern.’
Simon decided to scout the area.
If he encountered other students, he’d cooperate with them, but across this vast territory, the chances of meeting anyone seemed slim.
‘I’ll assume I’m going solo and investigate everything.’
* * *
At that same moment, in the Grand Hall of Rocksum.
“Thank you for waiting so long!”
An elegantly dressed moderator stood on the podium amid the seated audience, holding an Amplification Crystal as he shouted.
“Dear parents and related guests who’ve come to observe this Kizen Advancement Exam and the 5th BMAT! Welcome! I’m Conrad Hayabon, who’ll be handling the broadcast of this exam!”
The moderator bowed respectfully, and the audience responded with applause.
“Yes, yes, nice to meet you all! Ha ha! We were sorry to see the broadcast disappear when the 4th BMAT suddenly converted to an ‘after-school BMAT,’ but we’re truly grateful that you’ve made space for this finale!”
Though it was an Advancement Exam, it was simultaneously the official “5th BMAT,” so parent observation and broadcast were permitted.
The moderator continued, holding his script.
“As you parents well know, such a large exam tends to have many changes. The broadcast will run for a maximum of two weeks, ten hours per day. Kizen will provide all lodging and meals, but please observe order and do not venture into areas not permitted on the island. Yes, yes.”
The moderator rattled off these precautions and flipped his cue card rapidly.
“And one more thing—the interior of the Dungeon is a space separate from the continent, so live broadcast is impossible! We ask for your understanding. The footage sent to the school will be recorded from the Observers hovering above the Dungeon and recovered one by one; there may be a time lag between these recordings and the students’ direct activities in the Dungeon. Please keep that in mind! Now then! Let me introduce a Kizen professor who will assist me in providing commentary for this exam!”
A critical moment.
The host passed over the script card with the professor’s name written on it, his expression tense with anticipation.
‘Please not Byeol-Ya. Please not Jane either!’
Tap, tap.
Footsteps echoed up onto the stage. The host glimpsed her face and deflated slightly.
‘Surely not Byeol-Ya?!’
For a moment he thought so, but looking closer, the features were subtly different. And she wasn’t wearing that oppressive formal attire.
Hair tied back, a tall lean frame stretched long and elegant. Taut, bronzed, muscular physique.
The host finally double-checked his professor list and cried out with a brilliant smile.
“Allow me to introduce you! The legendary master of Combat Magic who defeated the Great Calamity, Kundar Hydra, with her bare hands! Five consecutive years in the top tier of course satisfaction ratings! Currently teaching Combat Magic to our 1st Year students—Professor Hong Peng Tun Sokum Marlat!”
Clap clap clap clap clap!
The parents recognized Hong Peng’s name and applauded warmly. The exotic-featured Hong Peng smiled brightly and bowed her head in greeting.
“It’s an honor to meet you all—parents and Kizen staff! I’m Hong Peng, the teacher!”
The host flinched at those words.
“Tea, teacher?”
“Yes! Teacher!”
“Ah, you mean professor—! Ahaha! Continental pronunciation does have some tricky elements, doesn’t it! Yes indeed! In any case, thank you for your cooperation with the broadcast!”
“Thank you, broadcaster!”
He was smiling, but the host’s pupils were wavering.
Something went wrong again. It really did seem like none of the Kizen professors were quite normal.
“Now then! The Observer has just arrived and is preparing the video feed. Before that, Professor Hong Peng, would you explain the Advancement Exam being held in this dungeon?”
She nodded and picked up an Amplification Crystal.
“Dungeon exploration is an inescapable trial for Necromancers. It’s a place where danger and opportunity coexist!”
“I, I see! Have you ever been to a dungeon yourself, Professor?”
“Of course! Plenty of times. I’ve had dungeons take over five months. I nearly starved to death. Ah! And right now, one of our Kizen teachers is inside a dungeon. Professor Silaji.”
At first the host found her manner jarring, but Hong Peng’s tone became easier to accept with time. He was beginning to be charmed by her spirited personality and warm, friendly smile.
“Hmm, well then, Professor! Could you briefly explain the dungeon for us?”
“Of course.”
She signaled her teaching assistants, and a rough map of the dungeon unfolded.
“Our Kizen agents have already mapped the dungeon’s structure beforehand. As you can see, no matter where the students land, it’s possible for them to reach the Dungeon Master.”
“Oh, I see! Then what would be the most important thing for the students to clear the dungeon?”
“Curiosity.”
She spread her palms wide open.
“You can’t overlook even the smallest detail! You must question everything and analyze thoroughly—that’s how you pick up hints to reach the Dungeon Master!”
“I, I see! Oh, the Observer’s first video has just arrived! Let’s watch together!”
* * *
Day One in the dungeon.
Simon was searching frantically for anything edible.
In particular, his analysis target was the flora within this dungeon.
The fruits hanging from the trees were especially important—valuable food that could be obtained with minimal risk.
“But this……”
Simon stood puzzled in front of a fallen fruit.
“It won’t break.”
The fruit’s shell was hard as mineral. No—not just like mineral. The shell was literally composed of mineral.
Perhaps a mineral that existed only in this dungeon.
The plants’ brilliant fluorescent glow was caused by the light-emitting property of this mineral.
The tree roots, the leaves—everything was covered in this mineral-like substance. Some had elasticity and bent easily, while others were simply as tough as steel.
‘But… why is it so hard?’
Neither Simon’s Combat Magic nor the tentacle blade of his Overlord could break or cut through this mineral.
Simon pressed his forehead and fell into thought.
Thud! Thud!
“?!”
Simon spun around in alarm.
There had been no sign of anything, but suddenly footsteps exploded forth.
Soon, rustling through the trees came a massive monster, its shell back covered in the same glittering mineral that adorned the surrounding trees.
It looked formidable—a monster not found on the continent, with no assigned Danger Rank. There was no way to gauge its strength without facing it directly.
‘First combat since arriving in the dungeon.’
The monster glared at Simon and snorted heavily, its hostility toward the intruder palpable.
‘What clue does it hold, I wonder?’
Simon and the monster charged at each other simultaneously.
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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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