Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 55

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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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Necromancer School’s Summoning Prodigy, Chapter 55
No matter how frightened Simon felt, the work had to be done. The Teaching Assistant spread her fingers.
“There’s a reason I had you do a mock duel. Students who don’t know their own strengths—who stumble about lost—eventually find their answer when you push them to their limits. In the most dangerous, critical moment, you can see what they truly rely on.”
“I see…”
“In your case, you chose to begin with Summoning Magic of your own will, didn’t you? But the moment you were cornered, you switched to Close Combat Magic without a shred of hesitation. You show real talent in that direction too. Do you need to think about it any longer?”
“…”
The words stung.
It wasn’t as simple as saying he’d resorted to Close Combat Magic just because the opponent had drawn close. Even as he was sending forth three Skeletons, Simon had already finished activating Dark Body Enhancement and was preparing for melee combat. It was almost instinctive.
“I’m not asking for an answer right now. Take your time and think it through.”
“Thank you, Teaching Assistant.”
After Simon left, the Teaching Assistant exhaled with quiet relief.
In the distance, she caught sight of her senior colleague instructing a student.
The Senior Teaching Assistant was wearing a Protective Vest, and the student facing her—also in a Protective Vest—lay sprawled on the ground with a dazed expression. They’d already finished their bout.
The student who’d received her guidance thanked her and departed. Now was her chance.
“Aaaah! Sis!”
The Teaching Assistant came running and threw herself into her senior’s arms.
“It was so scary!”
Her senior frowned and pushed away the junior colleague, who was whining and lisping in complaint.
“Ever since you started leading combat drills, the students have been pestering me non-stop asking for bouts. It’s annoying, you pest.”
“…Hnng.”
“But what exactly scared you?”
The Teaching Assistant pointed toward a corner of the training ground, gesturing as if tattling to her mother. Simon stood alone there, lost in thought.
“Ah, Special Case One. Simon.”
“I thought he was cute at first, but he’s terrifying. My heart skipped a beat fighting him—that’s never happened with the other students before.”
The senior, now rid of her rambling junior, folded her arms across her chest.
“So what did you tell him?”
“Basically—you’re damn good at Close Combat Magic, so why obsess over Summoning Magic? That sort of thing, wrapped up nicely.”
“Hmm.”
Admittedly, the few Summoning Magic techniques taught in early first year would inevitably fall short in the immediate Combat Evaluation.
There were only a few subjects that held an advantage in the early Combat Evaluation, and the chief ones were Curse Magic and Close Combat Magic. Summoning Magic and Undead Command were cases that required more time to develop.
‘Is he agonizing because he’s set on Summoning Magic? Well, that’s the kind of luxury problem you can only afford now.’
Talking about it endlessly now wouldn’t help. Once he dropped to the Lower Squad and felt the sting of necessity, his perspective would likely shift, she thought.
‘Or, being a prodigy, perhaps…’
For a moment, her mind conjured the image of Simon facing the Cyclops.
‘He might just come up with something entirely new.’

* * *
After the mock duel with the Teaching Assistant, Simon’s mind felt more tangled than before. Two conflicting thoughts clashed within him.
Yet one thing had become clear.
‘For this Combat Evaluation, Skeletons alone won’t be enough.’
He replayed the duel with the Teaching Assistant in his mind.
Honestly, the Skeletons had been useless. Worse—they’d been used against him as mere tools to land Curses on his opponent.
Things had to change. To survive here, he needed to keep evolving, keep growing.
This was the moment a new challenge emerged for Simon.
“Simon!”
He lifted his head from his deep thoughts.
Kamibarez approached with a bright smile, waving her hand. Behind her came Dick and Merin side by side, already bickering over something.
“Heh, heh, how come you couldn’t land a single blow?”
Merin stuck her tongue out teasingly, while Dick gritted his teeth in frustration.
“Ah, I was just going easy on you because you’re a girl!”
“Right~ And you couldn’t land a single blow that time either~”
Before Dick could protest, Merin burst into laughter and darted behind Simon.
“By the way, Simon. You said you had something to think about, but looks like you ended up dueling the Teaching Assistant anyway?”
“Yeah, it just kind of happened.”
“Did you win?”
Simon laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.
“How could I possibly beat a Teaching Assistant?”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward the Teaching Assistant.
She happened to be looking at him too, but the moment their eyes met, she hurriedly looked away and fled to somewhere else.
‘Why would she do that?’
Simon tilted his head in confusion.
“Hey—but isn’t this Combat Evaluation way too stressful?”
Dick scratched his scalp vigorously as he spoke.
“Not all Necromancers go around fighting. There are Scholar types and Research types too. No matter how long the tradition, it’s just too crude.”
Kamibarez nodded gently in agreement, while Merin squinted and laughed.
“You’re stressed because you’re weak.”
“I told you, I was just going easy on you before!”
She scoffed dismissively.
“Here’s what I think—even if you call yourself a Scholar type or whatever, if you’re in the bottom ten percent of combat ability, you’ve got no real skill. You’re unfit to be a Necromancer of Kizen.”
Kamibarez’s head drooped at those words. Even the wings that had been fluttering behind her back wilted.
“Oh!”
Merin belatedly noticed Kamibarez and hurried over, sweat beading on her brow.
“Wait, no! I didn’t mean you’re like that! You’re a vampire, and you’re from the great Ursula Family!”
“But I… I’m just not confident in combat.”
“Don’t worry! I’ll take responsibility and train you myself!”
While the two girls chattered away, Dick sighed heavily and drifted toward Simon’s side.
“Still, you’ve got it easy. No pressure with the Combat Evaluation.”
“No. I’m worried too.”
“Huh? Well, from what I’ve heard around, everyone seems desperate to avoid fighting you at all…”
In that instant, Simon’s eyes sharpened.
His right hand flew up beside his head—Snap!—just as something rocketed through the air and smashed against his palm.
Boom!
“Whoa!”
Dick jumped back with a gasp. The projectile had hit with such force that dust swirled through the air.
Simon’s eyes traced the object. A Protective Vest.
Thud. Thud.
“Simon Polentia.”
Hector approached. Behind him, his faction trailed like an honor guard, snickering.
“Put it on. Let’s fight.”
“…”
Simon exhaled softly and caught the vest properly.
And then.
Whoosh!
The vest flew at tremendous speed, this time slamming into Hector’s hands.
He barely managed to catch it, but sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Get lost. I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now.”
“…You bastard!”
Hector’s face flushed red and purple. Veins bulged at his neck as his fist darkened with Dark Element power.
He strode forward in rage, and Simon met his gaze without flinching.
“Don’t do this, Hector.”
Merin suddenly leaped between them, blocking his path.
“…Stay out of this, Ivory Tower.”
Hector’s voice turned cold.
“You’re not a kid. Why are you pulling this thug nonsense? Keep it up and I’ll call a professor.”
Hector’s lips trembled with fury at the interruption. Then he spat out:
“Serne’s lackey.”
The moment he said it.
The atmosphere froze.
Dick’s eyes widened, Kamibarez’s face turned ashen, and the faction members flinched, staring back at Hector.
And most importantly, Merin’s eyes went wild. A Dark Flare magic circle bloomed across her palm.
‘Dangerous!’
Hector was defenseless, and the student protection period had ended. Besides, if an attack spell was cast against an unguarded Hector during class time, it wouldn’t end with mere disciplinary measures.
Simon rushed toward her immediately. Hector simply stood there, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, as if to say go ahead and try.
“Stop.”
Simon, Merin, and Hector all froze at once.
The Teaching Assistant had slipped between them and was smiling.
“Is something the matter?”
Her approach had been so swift they barely registered it. Even so, Simon quickly covered Merin’s palm, and Hector bowed deeply and respectfully.
“Nothing happened at all, Teaching Assistant. We apologize for the disturbance.”
Among students, Hector was little better than a tyrant, but to the professors and teaching staff, he had cultivated a strong image of being courteous and well-mannered.
Hector turned his back and muttered, “Let’s go.” His faction members darted their eyes between the Teaching Assistant and Hector before quickly following him out.
“……Hmm.”
The Teaching Assistant turned toward Merin. Merin froze for a moment, then hurriedly lowered her head.
“Hector, Merin. Both of you—consider this a warning. You nearly did something Professor Jane would absolutely hate.”
Fortunately, the Teaching Assistant didn’t press the matter and left. As the suffocating atmosphere lifted, Dick let out a deep sigh.
“Ugh, Hector’s thick skull is infuriating. I’d give anything to land one good hit on that crazy bastard.”
“Merin! Are you alright?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m fine, Kami.”
She spoke while taking a deep breath.
“I just…… momentarily lost my composure.”
It seemed like more than “momentarily,” Simon thought—but then Merin lifted her head and spoke.
“And, you.”
“Yeah?”
“This is embarrassing. Can you let go now?”
Simon was still holding her hand. He nodded and released it without a fuss.
“Seriously.”
She stepped closer and grabbed his hand with both of hers, turning his palm upward.
His palm was bright red from burns.
“Are you insane? That was a Dark Flare magic circle—you grabbed it with your bare hands?”
Simon only laughed awkwardly. Merin’s expression hardened as she seized his wrist and pulled him along.
“I’m taking him to the Infirmary for a moment.”
“Oh, yes! Please take care of him!”

* * *
They went to the Infirmary and he received treatment. Fortunately, the burns were minor.
The treatment was finished with only ointment and bandaging, and the two of them returned to the Training Room.
“……Simon.”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you cover my palm like that?”
Simon shrugged.
“It was obvious. If the Teaching Assistant had found out you were about to use magic, we’d be in real trouble.”
She let out a small, awkward cough.
“Back then—”
“Thanks, Merin.”
They both spoke at the same time. She whipped her head around.
“For stepping in when Hector and I were about to fight.”
“…….”
“And sure, you almost ended up fighting Hector yourself, but this time I stepped in. So we’re even now.”
Simon chuckled, but Merin’s expression was deeply conflicted.
“Anyway, Simon. That’s your problem.”
“……?”
“You’re too kind. You know? It’s your attentiveness that bothers me. But.”
She strode forward and grabbed his shoulders.
“This time it won’t work.”
“……?”
Then she drew in a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut as if resolved, and spoke.
“Thank. You!”
With that, she fled back toward the Training Room like she was running away.
“…….”
Simon, momentarily flustered, let out a small laugh.
[Like master, like servant.]
Pier’s shadow clone clucked its tongue.
Simon silently pressed the clone with a finger, signaling it to be quiet.

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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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