Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 577

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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 Genius, Episode 577
The lesson came to an abrupt halt.
Aaron had stepped outside the classroom to confer with representatives from Kizen’s headquarters, and during that time Simon heard Serne’s story.
In short, Serne had deferred her ascension to the position of Ivory Tower Master.
She would continue attending Kizen as she had been. She would assume the role of Ivory Tower Master only after graduating formally from Kizen. Those were the conditions she had laid down.
“Hold on—if you’re staying at Kizen, what happens to the Ivory Tower in the meantime?”
“Daniela will take charge of its affairs.”
Daniela Bilen, head of the Moderate Faction, would manage the tower as Acting Ivory Tower Master. When Simon heard this, he was somewhat taken aback.
“There must have been fierce opposition from people.”
“Let them object all they want—what can they do about it?”
Serne, her legs crossed with unmistakable arrogance, fluttered a feather she held in her hand.
“My father is dead, so the Ivory Tower has no choice but to yield to me. They have to accede to whatever I demand.”
In fact, she was right.
This crisis had brought the Ivory Tower to a crossroads. Though they had barely salvaged their reputation by saving the Dark Alliance and Kizen, the revelation that their master had been a puppet of the Covenant had severely damaged their brand image across the continent.
Even the neutral territories that had originally intended to accept them seemed to have suspended all agreements and were conducting a complete review from scratch.
The Ivory Tower desperately needed a powerful leader capable of navigating this crisis. The only figure they could rely upon was Serne—someone possessed of overwhelming talent and charisma.
She had become irreplaceable to them, and her presence had grown too immense to bind with mere institutional law. If she wanted to defer her position for two years, they had no choice but to accept it.
“But if you remain at Kizen… the Radical Faction within the Ivory Tower will be completely annihilated in the meantime, won’t it?”
The Radical Faction, hostile to Kizen, had been the power base upon which Serne relied. At Simon’s keen observation, she nodded in acknowledgment.
“My, what a precise deduction.”
“Is that acceptable? Or are you perhaps looking to establish the Moderate Faction as your new foundation?”
Lorain, who had been listening intently from her seat beside them, visibly perked up her ears.
From her perspective, it was naturally favorable for the Moderate Faction—which pursued pro-Kizen policies—to gain power within the Ivory Tower. And if even Serne, the future leader, became allied with them…
“No, I’m going to dismantle Kizen someday.”
Serne flatly denied it, her expression sharp as a blade.
“The current Radical Faction is contaminated by the filth of the Covenant, so I’m merely excising them. Once I graduate and become Ivory Tower Master, I’ll build a formidable force beholden to neither the Covenant nor outside interference. By that time—”
Serne smiled slightly and glanced toward Lorain.
“Kizen will face the most painful adversary in its history.”
“I was a fool to think, even for a moment, that I’d seen another side of you.”
Lorain’s face darkened as she spoke. Serne covered her mouth and smiled like a fox.
“How rude, speaking that way to your benefactor who saved you from the Covenant’s vile schemes.”
“You originally assisted Bermud’s plan. Consider yourself fortunate you weren’t brought to trial.”
Sparks flew between the glares the two women exchanged. Caught between them, Simon laughed awkwardly.
‘These two will be at each other’s throats forever.’
“Oh, by the way.”
Serne turned toward Simon.
“You haven’t mentioned this to Merin, have you?”
“No. She hasn’t even returned yet.”
Merin seemed to have postponed her return to Kizen and made a hasty stop at the Ivory Tower instead. Perhaps something had come up at home, and she’d wanted to return and verify it herself.
Serne grinned and raised the tips of her fingers.
“Actually, I’m thinking of adding a clause like this: if someone more outstanding than me appears before I graduate from Kizen, I can transfer the position of Ivory Tower Master to them! What do you think?”
“You’re planning to transfer it to Merin?”
“No, as I said—precisely to dismantle Kizen, it has to be me who becomes Ivory Tower Master.”
Having brazenly declared this before Neftis’s own daughter, she lowered her voice and spoke softly, so only Simon could hear.
“It’s a means of motivating her. I’d love for that girl to strive even harder. And imagining her at the end, trampled by me, sinking into despair…”
She clasped her hands together.
“I truly cannot contain my joy!”
…
Simon’s expression stiffened upon hearing that, then gradually a smile formed, and now he was chuckling quietly.
“What is that laugh?”
Serne pouted.
“Nothing.”
Simon replied casually. She narrowed her eyes and tugged at his arm like a whining child.
“Come on, what? That look like you know everything!”
“I said it’s nothing.”
Meanwhile, Lorain watched the two of them with an anxious expression.
‘The two of them… they seem closer than before.’
Having faced death together multiple times in the Tower of Time, it was only natural. The fact that Serne was already pulling ahead in the competition to recruit Simon that would take place two years hence felt like a knife wound.
‘I don’t want to lose Simon either.’
Lorain found herself envying, for the first time, Serne’s uninhibited nature—the ease with which she could treat Simon so warmly.
She imagined it once—herself hanging from Simon’s arm like a clinging vine.
‘Ugh.’
Her hair stood on end at the sheer embarrassment of it. With a sharp shake of her head, she banished the fantasy.
She couldn’t let herself fall into such foolishness.
Simon was a dear friend. Whatever path he chose after graduation, she didn’t believe Serne’s presence would cloud his judgment.
It was always sincerity that moved the human heart. Lorain was certain of that.
Just then, Aaron returned to the lecture hall from his conversation with the Kizen headquarters staff.
“Preparations are complete.”
Aaron glanced at his wristwatch before continuing.
“You have exactly thirty minutes from now. Return to the Dormitory, gather your winter clothes, spare outfits, toiletries, and so forth, then report back here.”
“?!”
The students’ eyes widened at the sudden announcement. Aaron continued in his measured tone.
“This Durahan Special Lecture will proceed as a two-day, three-night group training camp.”

* * *
A departmental group training camp.
They’d had outdoor lessons and external classes before, but never anything like this.
With the Summoning Department Dormitory quite some distance away, the students bolted outside and summoned their mobile creatures. Cheers and whistles erupted from all directions in their excitement.
—Hold on tight, Toto!
—Got it!
Simon boarded the Golem Board with Toto and made his way to the Dormitory. The two of them threw open the door and flung wide every drawer in the wardrobe.
“Whoa, a training camp out of nowhere! You scared me half to death.”
Toto squeezed his small frame into the wardrobe as he spoke.
“Same here.”
“Where do you think we’re going, Simon?”
“Since winter clothes are on the list, it looks like we’re heading somewhere cold.”
As Simon said this, he gathered socks and underwear. But having just returned from a dispatch mission, he didn’t have enough socks to last three days.
“Toto, can I borrow a pair of socks?”
“Sure, of course!”
Simon unfolded the socks Toto handed him and let out a hollow laugh.
‘Are these socks or gloves?’
They’d be too small even worn around the wrist.
Simon thanked him but said they wouldn’t work. Better to borrow from Fitzgerald or do laundry at the training camp.
Once Simon and Toto finished packing and came down the stairs, students came pouring out from every direction, colliding and tangling with them in absolute chaos.
The thirty minutes Aaron had given them turned out to be too short indeed.
“Ow!”
Toto, running thoughtlessly, crashed into something. As he rubbed his nose and looked up, he saw a massive backside.
…….
A pair of eyes that looked as though they could tear a person apart with a single glare—utterly murderous pupils.
Of all people, it was Hector he’d collided with. Toto froze solid with a ‘Yikes!’ the moment their eyes met.
“Hey there, Hector.”
Simon stepped forward with a cheerful smile. The gaze fixed on Toto instantly swiveled toward Simon.
“……Wherever you go, you’re the talk of the town, Simon Polentia. Did you stir up the Ivory Tower this time?”
“Nothing that dramatic.”
“And that woman?”
“Oh, Serne? She’s staying at Kizen.”
Hector said nothing more and walked off without a word. But when he reached the entrance, he stopped and turned back.
“I’ll make sure to crush you thoroughly during this Durahan training camp.”
Simon smiled slightly.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Hector stared at Simon with sharp eyes for a moment longer, then headed out toward his faction waiting outside.

* * *
Thirty minutes later.
All the students who’d gone to the Dormitory had gathered, and under the instructors’ guidance, they boarded the Teleport Magic Circle to depart.
Simon, the first to step onto the circle, opened his eyes.
‘Ah.’
A snowy expanse stretched before him like a painting.
The students who arrived after him gasped in wonder.
“Wooooow!”
Snow fell softly, gently, blanketing the forest in pristine white. It was, quite literally, a world of snow.
“Beautiful.”
“Look at that breath.”
The students, thrilled by the unexpected outdoor lesson, chattered and bustled about, but the teaching assistants stepped forward.
“Students, we’ll be taking attendance now. Please form four lines.”
The students lined up, pulling on winter coats and robes over their uniforms. The Kizen Uniform had thermal properties built in, but it wasn’t nearly enough against this cold.
“Professor, all department students have arrived safely.”
After the assistants finished the headcount, they reported it. Aaron nodded.
“This is Frigod, an autonomous region in the far north of the Shahad Kingdom.”
Aaron himself had abandoned his usual shorts and slippers for a classic coat. Clothes truly do make the person—his entire demeanor seemed transformed.
“Though it falls under royal jurisdiction, this region is technically an autonomous territory of the indigenous peoples. They tend to be wary of outsiders, and many don’t speak the continental language, making communication difficult. Be careful, and don’t cause any unnecessary trouble. There could be political complications.”
“Yes, Professor!”
“Then let’s move out.”
Crunch, crunch.
Fifty-two students, Aaron, and the teaching staff trudged through the snow. Simon kept his frozen hands buried in his robe, warming them as he looked around.
“Hah.”
Lorain, walking beside him, exhaled a visible plume of breath.
Thankfully her coat wasn’t pink—she wore a refined black long coat instead. She looked like the young leader of some secret organization.
“I’ve never been in a place with mana concentration this thick.”
At that, Simon took a deep breath himself, and felt a surge of mana pouring into his body. In one breath, he absorbed what normally would take two.
“You’re right.”
“The Ivory Tower has quite the reputation for this place.”
Serne approached from the side with her hands clasped behind her back, offering a slight smile. She wore an extravagantly luxurious golden-furred robe.
“Unspoiled nature. Abundant mana. It’s ideal for Pure Magic Training.”
“I see.”
Thwack!
Aaron, who had been leading the group, raised his arm. All the students saw the halt signal and stopped walking.
“There’s a monster ahead.”
He was right.
Heavy footsteps grew steadily louder, and the students tensed, glancing nervously in all directions.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
A massive reptilian creature, dinosaur-like in appearance, came bounding toward them. Its form was slightly different from the typical continental monsters.
Whoosh—
Aaron raised his hand. Dark Element began to shimmer at his fingertips as if he were about to unfold a magic circle, but then he simply smiled wryly and turned back to face them.
“Who wants to go?”
Boom!
Pop!
Pop!
Without a moment’s hesitation, three students burst forward, each igniting their own Dark Element aura.
Simon, Hector, and Aseraz.
“Filthy thing.”
With remarkable leaping power, Hector reached the monster’s head and brought his clasped fists down in a crushing blow.
“How dare you bare your fangs before us.”
Crack-boom-boom-boom!
Pure Combat Magic.
With a thunderous crash, the monster’s face plowed into the ground.
Slash—
Aseraz leaped in from the side, sweeping her hand through the air. A magic circle materialized, spewing blue flashes that carved through the monster’s scales.
“The weak point’s marked.”
Whoosh!
Finally, Simon launched himself into the air, his hands moving like a conductor’s.
The bones around him turned pitch black, then shot forward like spears.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
The skeletal projectiles drove precisely through the opening Aseraz had created. The monster lost its balance as it tried to rise, toppling over. Simon moved one last time.
The bones converged into a massive spear, and with a crack, it drove through the back of the monster’s head where its scales had been pried open.
All three landed with their own distinct style, and the enormous body behind them lurched forward before crashing down into the underbrush with a heavy thud.
Cheers erupted!
The students applauded and shouted in excitement. Aaron nodded his approval.
“Well done. Teaching assistants, collect the carcass and divide it among the three students.”
“Understood.”
Aaron turned back to face the students after instructing the teaching assistants.
“We’ll reach our destination in twenty minutes. Don’t let your guard down.”
“Yes, Professor!”

* * *
The Weltrup Territory in the Shahad Kingdom.
Hook Meat Shop.
“Make sure you sell plenty.”
A middle-aged nobleman said this while holding a child’s hand as he entered.
The butcher, dressed in a work apron and boots, bowed deeply.
“Thank you, sir!”
Ding-dong.
The bell chimed as the nobleman and child stepped outside. The child laughed brightly, prattling on about the steak they’d eat that evening.
The butcher waved goodbye with an innocent smile, even though the child couldn’t see him.
“Well then! Time for the next task—”
Ding-dong.
The moment the man turned his back, the bell above the door chimed again. He lifted a slab of meat and smiled with simple-hearted warmth.
“Welcome!”
“Ruin is the staircase to revolution.”
Thud.
The butcher’s movements froze. Then, with a long sigh, he lowered the slab of meat with a heavy thunk.
With a gesture from him, the curtains of the shop drew closed, the ‘OPEN’ sign on the door flipped over, and soundproofing magic circles unfolded in succession.
Click. Click.
Screech—
The butcher settled into a chair and immediately placed a cigar between his lips, lighting it.
Wheeze.
He exhaled cigar smoke and furrowed his brow.
“What is it now? Things are going well. Word’s spreading through the area, and our target should visit within a week—”
“Something more pressing has come up.”
The gentleman visitor wore a hat with a wide brim. His face bore no features save a single pupil where his eyes should be.
“Do you know these children?”
The gentleman produced two sketches from within his coat.
One depicted a blue-haired boy; the other, a girl with platinum blonde hair.
“These brats. They were behind the Ivory Tower incident—”
“Indeed. They are the very ones who reduced our perfect plan to destroy Kizen to nothing but foam.”
“Ha! Not those cursed ravens, but mere children managed it? Remarkable.”
The butcher removed the cigar from his mouth as he spoke.
“What do you want done with them? Shall I turn them into meat as well?”
“No.”
The gentleman continued, gripping the brim of his hat.
“Our master wishes to meet with this boy. You will capture him alive. Should you kill him, you yourself will become meat.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“As for the girl, he said you may take her alive or dead—as you wish.”
Tap.
The Butcher removed the cigar from his mouth and pressed it firmly against the photograph of the blue-haired boy.
“So, where are these brats now?”

* * *
Frigod, as a self-governing region beyond the kingdom’s direct administration, hosted considerably more monsters than most areas.
Over the past twenty minutes, they had encountered monsters three times, and each time Aaron had selected several students to face them. Whether as part of the lesson or to provide tips on the Summoning Magic they’d used, he guided them through each encounter.
They arrived at their destination. Aaron came to a halt before a ridge, and the chattering students quickly scurried over to follow.
“Here we are.”
Aaron pointed ahead with his index finger raised.
“That’s the Base Camp where we’ll be staying.”

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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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