Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 71

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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 Prodigy of the Necromancer Academy — Chapter 71
Sixty minutes slipped away before anyone could track their passing.
Simon finished all twenty Summoning Magic problems and was working through the Combat Magic section alongside Kamibarez when the proctor announced there were five minutes left on the exam.
“Bubble in the rest! Answer B for everything!”
Merin called this out as she rushed through the essay portion, and Simon did the same with his remaining questions before diving back into the problems he’d already attempted, burning through the last moments of the test.
“The exam is now finished.”
Jane announced.
“Everyone, set down your quill pens!”
“Hands on your heads!”
The proctors moved through the room, collecting exam papers and answer sheets. The students’ eyes followed the papers being taken away, thick with longing.
“Everyone did well today.”
The proctors distributed fresh test papers and handed out answer keys with explanations to each student.
“We’ll announce the performance evaluation results after the midterm. For now, use this time to grade your own preliminary results and review the problems you missed.”
“Yes!”
Simon decided to start with Summoning Magic. His heart hammering, he gripped the quill pen tighter.
‘Please let the score go up……!’
He began grading. Unlike the regular midterm, there were only twenty questions, but he’d gotten so many right that the improvement was visible at a glance. With trembling fingers, Simon added up the points for each correct answer.
The result was.
“It went up! Eighty-four points!”
Eight points higher than his previous score of seventy-six.
Of course, relative to all the effort he’d poured into studying Summoning Magic, the gain seemed modest at first glance. Yet the gulf between climbing from the seventies to the eighties and dragging yourself from thirty to forty was a different beast entirely. Eight points was undeniably a dramatic improvement, no matter what anyone said.
“……Well, mm. Not bad.”
Merin offered her congratulations with a wry smile.
‘Studying is actually fun when the results show up like this.’
The questions were different, so a direct comparison wasn’t quite fair, but Merin had scored eighty-five on the previous test. At this rate, there was genuine hope for the midterm.
“Hey! Who solved Sacred Defense Magic!”
Merin suddenly flared up while grading. Dick raised his head with a guilty expression.
“That was me……”
“You got three in a row wrong! Are these even meant to be difficult?”
Merin poured her fury down on him, and Dick bowed his head with a crumpled expression. Just then, Kamibarez cried out while grading.
“Blood Magic — eighty-nine points! My score went up!”
“Really? Really really? I love you, Kamibarez!”
Merin swept her into an embrace, basking in the joy.
Dick, who’d been taking his scolding nearby, quietly gave her a thumbs-up. Kamibarez laughed with a bright “Aha ha!” and returned the gesture.
And so the preliminary grading wrapped up.
“Overall, we should be in the upper ranks.”
Merin crossed her arms.
“There were some rough spots, but given that the four of us are all aiming for different specialties, we’re actually at an advantage. I don’t think our rankings will slip.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“And Professor Jane really outdid herself. The exam questions were excellent — I have a feeling that if we just make thorough wrong answer notes on the material in here, our grades will turn out nicely. I’ve already warned the class representative not to let anyone else see these test papers, and I’ll make sure they’re properly controlled.”
She smiled knowingly, her eyes crinkling with mischief.
“And I’m fairly certain none of you idiots would be stupid enough to sell these problems for money.”
Dick’s expression flickered, but he quickly laughed it off.
“Of, of course not! I’d gladly take the hit for Class A’s sake——wait!”
“What is it, Dick?”
“Right, I just remembered. Tomorrow there’s another dueling evaluation.”
Ah——
Kamibarez’s cheerful demeanor collapsed in an instant, and she buried her face in her hands. Simon, by contrast, broke into a wide grin.
“We have to do one a week anyway. If we win again tomorrow, we’ll be in the Upper Squad, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Are you confident about tomorrow, Simon?”
At Merin’s question, Simon folded his arms across his chest.
“It’ll be the same as always.”
“Be especially careful in tomorrow’s duel, Simon.”
Dick spoke with genuine gravity.
“Word’s spread far and wide that you can use golems. Your opponent will probably come out swinging from the opening.”
“I figured as much.”
“Alright.”
Merin clapped her hands together.
“The dueling evaluation is seriously important, so I’m going all-in on it tonight too. Let’s wrap this up quickly and get back to studying for the midterm.”
“Yes, Merin!”
“Okay.”

* * *
The next day. Dueling Evaluation day.
Third Indoor Arena.
Unlike last week’s fervor, the spectator stands were rather sparse. With midterms approaching, external scouts had been barred from entry during exam season as part of the school’s stress management protocol for students.
Dick, Merin, and Kamibarez were each undergoing their Dueling Evaluations in separate arenas.
This emptiness, oddly enough, put Simon more at ease. He pulled out his densely annotated notebook and began drilling formulas into his memory. Not a single scrap of free time could be wasted.
—Class A student Simon Polentia and Class H student Jessica Kananal, please report to the arena.
Simon, already waiting, jumped to his feet and headed out. From the opposite side, his opponent approached. Jessica was a female student with green hair and freckles.
Assistants rushed forward and fitted them both in protective suits. Then the referee signaled.
“Both competitors, shake hands.”
Jessica approached for the handshake. And yet—
Murmur, murmur, murmur.
Until the very moment she reached him, Simon’s eyes never left the Wrong Answer Note. Only as they drew close did he lower the notebook and offer his hand with a bright smile.
‘Studying for midterms in the middle of a duel? Quite the character.’
Jessica forced a smile and shook his hand.
The two stepped apart. As Jessica glanced back, Simon had already buried his face in the Wrong Answer Note again.
‘So this is how Special Exception 1st treats people—with complete disrespect?’
Jessica felt her irritation rising.
Shortly after, both took their stances across from each other.
“Now then, let us begin the Dueling Evaluation between Class A student Simon Polentia and Class H student Jessica Kananal.”
The referee’s arm dropped.
“Begin!”
With his face still hidden behind the Wrong Answer Note, Simon summoned three Skeletons. Jessica’s expression hardened.
‘There’s a limit to how much one can underestimate an opponent!’
She immediately began channeling Dark Element magic in her palm. Simon did nothing more aggressive than advancing his formation, allowing her to complete the incantation without interruption.
‘Poison Fog!’
The emerald sphere Jessica conjured erupted, spraying a noxious mist in all directions.
In an instant, the entire arena flooded with green smoke. Thanks to the barrier shielding in the spectator stands, the vapor remained contained to the central battlefield where Simon stood.
“Hmm.”
Simon finally lifted his eyes from the Wrong Answer Note and surveyed his surroundings.
“Toxicology specialist.”
This time he had no prior intelligence. Not wanting to burden Dick during midterm season, Simon had refused to gather advance information about his opponent.
The Protective Suit covering Simon’s body shifted between red and blue, indicating that Damage Judgment was continuously registering impact.
[Simon Polentia: 97%]
[Jessica Kananal: 100%]
‘I see. So this is how she fights.’
Laying down a poison fog and gradually whittling away the opponent’s health, while the toxicologist herself focused on defense and counterattacks.
Time favored the toxicologist, which meant her opponent would inevitably grow psychologically impatient.
Perhaps for that reason, Simon stuffed the Wrong Answer Note into his subspace.
Seeing this, Jessica’s face lit up with satisfaction.
‘That’s right. Finally figured out this isn’t the time to cram for midterms…….’
But the moment the notebook vanished, another one popped out in its place.
‘Lucky me!’
This time it was a Toxicology study guide.
‘Poison Fog. A classic exam question on Toxicology. A wide-area spell that uses various poison combinations to produce multiple effects on the target. Vulnerable to wind-aspected Dark Element magic, and the runes and formulae involved are…….’
For the first time in his life, Simon was discovering something crucial about studying.
Kizen had an endless amount of material to memorize, but shutting yourself in the study room all day and forcing information into your head didn’t guarantee you’d retain it all.
That’s when Simon grasped the key: association. Linking what you needed to learn to some situation or scenario, so the material came to mind naturally.
The crucial point was this: never accept the material as mere language. Transform it into a living, breathing scenario instead, and understanding becomes effortless.
Which made this moment—studying Toxicology in the middle of actual combat—an opportunity Simon simply could not miss.
If he mastered Toxicology right now, he’d be able to recall every detail the instant he thought back on this battle with Jessica.
As Simon’s attention half-drifted while he recited terms aloud, Jessica found herself utterly bewildered.
Her annoyance had curdled into outright fury.
‘Infuriating! I want to rush over and knock him around……! No, wait. Don’t lose composure!’
This was Kizen. Baiting your opponent into complacency and goading them was itself a tactic in psychological warfare.
He was no doubt performing this mockery to rattle her nerves.
And if her opponent was foolish enough to underestimate her, wouldn’t that work in her favor? She wouldn’t fall for provocation. She’d simply use her skill to wipe that smug expression off his face.
‘His Barrier Gauge is being worn down constantly anyway. If I just hold on like this……!’
Whoosh!
An arrow suddenly flew at her face. Jessica jerked her head back at the last instant, dodging it.
‘……Gah, that scared me.’
Cold sweat dripped down her face. Behind Simon, three Skeleton Archers with bows had materialized. Her pupils dilated sharply.
‘S-Skeleton Archers! Already deploying those?’
It looked like the rumors about him being a Summoning Magic candidate with golems weren’t mere hearsay after all.
Just then, Simon lowered his note and stretched out his arm.
The archers’ presence vanished, and the skeletons at the front surged toward Jessica in a thundering mass.
‘Stay calm……!’
She conjured a magic circle in her right hand and drew a Poison Potion from her left. The moment she placed the potion on the circle, the bottle shattered with a sharp crack, and the poison within gathered and coalesced.
She grasped it with both hands and swung with all her strength.
‘Poison Whip!’
A whip of shadow and toxin lashed out, shattering three skeletons in one blow. Simon immediately raised his index finger.
‘Restoration.’
But the scattered bones merely trembled, refusing to respond.
Simon lowered his note slightly and looked ahead. The skeleton’s body was stained violet in places.
“Kabara poison drops dark sensitivity to an extreme.”
Jessica grinned wickedly.
“When it touches a skeleton’s body, it neutralizes the residual dark energy within the bones, making restoration impossible for a time. You didn’t know that, did you?”
It was a tactic Jessica had prepared specifically to counter a Summoning Magic candidate. Seeing that arrogant Special Exception 1st’s vacant expression, her chest swelled with triumph and her confidence soared.
“Ah, I see.”
Simon responded with genuine admiration and withdrew a Quill Pen from his subspace.
“Kabara poison…… dark sensitivity reduction…….”
He began writing notes. The moment Jessica saw this, her forehead creased with deep wrinkles.
“I am! Your midterm instructor!”
Three Dark Arrow spell circles materialized at tremendous speed before her.
“No, wait!”
Just as she was about to issue the casting command——
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Skeleton Archers’ arrows grazed through her spell circles. Her eyes widened in horror. The circles crackled and began collapsing like broken machinery.
“Dark Arrow spell memory points.”
Simon murmured.
“Fast casting. Simple multiple chanting. Excellent penetration power. Core rune is ‘projection.’ When writing discharge formulas, be careful not to confuse with elasticity formulas. And…….”
Simon’s cold gaze fixed on the spell circle.
“Watch for damage to the left binding formula.”
“……You!”
Simon summoned fresh skeletons from his subspace and sent them charging. This time, all three were armed with spears and shields.
Jessica bit her lip and drew out another potion to prepare the Poison Whip.
“Poison Whip spell memory points.”
The three skeletons hurled the spears from their hands.
“Fixed-position magic circles. If the circle’s coordinates shift, it collapses.”
Jessica threw herself aside in panic. A spear tip grazed her body, but one struck her thigh. Her Barrier Gauge dropped, and the spell circle she’d been preparing shattered.
“Ugh!”
As Jessica staggered, trying to regain her footing, another spear suddenly flew at her from behind.
“Eek!”
[Simon Polentia: 85%]
[Jessica Kananor: 52%]
She dropped to one knee on the ground and quickly looked back. A skeleton’s arm and shoulder had formed at ground level.
‘No way……! He only restored the parts that weren’t hit by the Poison Whip, then picked up the dropped spear to throw it?’
The real offensive was just beginning.
Simon’s command was brilliantly intricate.
“When deploying Dark Arrows against a target moving at 6 meters per second…….”
“When one-third of the arm bones and sternum are judged restoration-impossible, which are all correct countermeasures for the caster?”
“If the skeleton’s dark composition is altered…….”
Simon muttered formulas and problems while perfectly predicting and seeing through every one of Jessica’s movements and attacks.
Simon himself was astonished.
Study and real combat were never separate. Theory was now grafting onto practice, guiding his rational decision-making.
The effort during this exam period had refined Simon’s movements to a new level of precision.
[Simon Polentia: 76%]
[Jessica Kananor : 37%]
‘Not like this……!’
Jessica clenched her teeth. The Poison Fog would bring Simon down before she fell first.
Every dark spell she wielded had been read perfectly, and now she had to make her choice.
‘I’d heard rumors he was strong in Combat Magic, but……!’
She gathered Dark Element into both fists and charged toward Simon.
‘There’s no other way left!’
Arrows from the Skeleton Archers whistled toward Simon’s back as he still shielded his face with the notebook. She took them on her body and drove forward.
“Hraaaaaaah!”
Her fist, channeling all her strength, hurtled toward Simon’s face hidden behind the note.
“……!”
In that instant.
She missed him. She thought he’d vanished, and her fist cut emptily through the air.
Simon’s body moved like lightning, dropping flush to the ground before spinning as if sweeping through the space around him. Then his leg shot up like a pillar, driving into her abdomen.
Crash!
The tremendous force sent her body soaring into the air. Simon rose and lifted his arms overhead.
Clack. Clack-clack.
The scattered bones of the skeleton lying chaotically on the floor stirred to life and floated upward.
Simon’s signal: his fists clenching tight.
Simon Polentia Original – Bone Nail
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
They flew up at terrifying speed from all directions toward her.
‘Ah…….’
There was no escape in mid-air.
Jessica watched the bones hurtling toward her and closed her eyes in resignation.
Crash-crash-crash-crash-crash!
[Simon Polentia : 72%]
[Jessica Kananor : 0%]
“Match concluded!”
Jessica fell limply to the ground, and the referee shouted.
“The victor is Simon Polentia of Class A!”

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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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