Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 74

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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 — Episode 74
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The footsteps grew faster and faster. Simon and his companions bolted upright, scanning their surroundings with sudden vigilance.
The monster that burst through the undergrowth was larger than any Rustlack they had encountered yet.
“That’s the boss!”
“…Yeah, it’s definitely big.”
It towered a full two heads above the scrawny common Rustlacks, its body riddled with countless wounds. Where the flesh had been clawed raw, no fur grew back—only gruesome bare skin.
—Gurgle! Grrrrrrgh!
The creature lowered its stance. Unlike its bulging belly in profile, its hindquarters were lean and supple, the spine visible through the skin.
Its gaze fixed on the golem’s core.
It had appeared the moment Simon sensed the Dark Element churning in the surrounding air as he prepared the summoning.
“Here it comes!”
The Rustlack charged. Simon bounded forward to meet it, shouting orders.
“Dick! Shield!”
“On it!”
Dick hurled the Enchanted Shield toward Simon. He caught the grip, drew it up to his chin, and collided with the Rustlack.
Crash!
“Ungh!”
Simon was overpowered in the clash of strength and sent flying backward.
The impact dislodged chunks of earth from the golem’s arm, which was still under construction, and they scattered across the ground.
“Simon!”
Dick drew his sword and rushed forward, calling out.
“Leave this one to us! Focus on finishing the golem!”
“Got it.”
“I’ll cover you!”
The moment Simon retreated, Kamibarez unleashed a Blood Bullet. Seeing the projectile coming, the Rustlack dodged smoothly to the side. Dick’s face went pale with cold sweat at the display.
‘Its reflexes are better than it looks!’
The Rustlack turned its attention back to the golem, lunging forward. Dick sprinted to intercept, but a girl leaped into the air even faster.
Whoooosh!
She swept her hand, and Black Flame rained down like a torrent. The flames consumed the surrounding grass in a raging inferno, and the Rustlack retreated.
“That’s ours to eat! Don’t burn it all up!”
At Dick’s protest, Merin whirled on him, bristling.
“Is that really what matters now? Besides, we’re going to cook it anyway!”
Whoosh!
The Rustlack bolted in the opposite direction, away from the flames.
Merin and Dick sprinted after it, and Dick nodded with sudden seriousness.
“Now that I think about it, you’re right. Seared on the outside….”
“Focus! You lunatic!”
“I’m always focused.”
Boom!
The Rustlack planted its feet and launched itself skyward, sailing high above both of them.
In the same moment, Dick reached into his subspace, spun his body, and hurled something backward.
Whoaaack!
A pristine white Net unfurled across a vast stretch of air, blocking the Rustlack mid-flight.
Dick activated his dark magic at once.
‘Enchant!’
The entire Net turned pitch-black with the Dark Element. With nimble movements, Dick withdrew a Metal Stake, drove it into the ground, and hooked the Net over the top.
“Clear!”
Merin gathered the Dark Element into her elbow and smashed down on the stake with all her strength.
With a thunderous crack, the stake drove deep into the earth.
“Ow!”
She winced and rubbed her elbow. Dick quickly raised his head to check on the Rustlack.
The Net pulled taut, and the exhausted Rustlack finally crashed to the ground.
“We got it! We’ve caught it!”
Szzzt!
But the Net was so large and full of holes that sections of the Enchantment hadn’t taken hold properly.
The Rustlack found the torn section with uncanny precision, wriggled free, and lunged straight for Simon.
“Dick! You absolute moron—!”
Kraaaaaash!
Before Merin could finish, a tremendous impact echoed through the air—the Rustlack’s body bent into a sharp angle before flying backward, splintering trees as it tumbled across the ground.
Everyone’s jaws dropped as they turned to look behind them.
“Been waiting for me?”
Simon grinned, his fist still extended, and above him loomed an enormous Mud Golem mirroring his exact stance.
“Yeah! Nice cover, Simon!”
“Finish it off for me, Simon. And Dick—we need to talk after this.”
—Gurgle, gurgle-gurgle!
Rustlack, caked in blood and buried in the ground, suddenly jolted upright and charged toward them with a furious howl.
“I appreciate you coming on your own.”
Simon dropped into a fighting stance.
Rustlack hurled itself at the Mud Golem, its claws extending to nearly a foot in length.
Screech!
Three parallel gashes raked across the golem’s body.
But that was all.
The Mud Golem raised both arms clasped together overhead.
“Uh, Simon.”
Dick spoke up.
“Just reminding you—that’s dinner for us tonight, so take it easy…….”
Crash!
The golem’s interlocked fists came down on Rustlack like a hammer. Dust erupted and the ground cratered beneath the blow.
“Yikes.”
“Eek!”
Dick and Kamibarez both scrambled backward.
Despite the impact, Rustlack was still alive—it trembled violently where it lay.
The Mud Golem lifted its leg again.
Crash!
Another stomp followed.
Watching this, Dick’s face grew serious and he nodded to himself.
“Ground meat stir-fry would work just fine.”
“……Why are you suddenly so obsessed with eating?”

* * *
Hong Peng’s mission had been completed without issue.
After hunting the boss and mopping up the remaining stragglers, Simon’s party settled in to rest and wait.
They were chatting peacefully when someone pushed through the brush toward them.
“There you all are.”
A man with sun-darkened bronze skin, short-cropped hair, and a somewhat stolid expression stepped into view.
It was Bread, an instructor under Hong Peng.
“Good work out there. I’ve set up a Teleport Magic Circle—let’s head over to where Professor Hong Peng is waiting.”
“Yes!”
Finally, it was over.
Everyone followed Bread with cheerful faces, chatting as they went. Beyond the brush, a magic circle sprawled across the ground.
“Thank you, Instructor!”
“See you on the other side!”
Merin, Dick, and Kamibarez stepped onto the magic circle one after another and vanished.
Simon was about to step onto it last when—
“Hold on.”
Bread raised his arm to block him.
“We need to talk for a minute.”
“……?”
“Just a moment.”
Simon turned to face him.
“I’m not sure what this is about, but can’t it wait until after I go through?”
…….
Bread let out an irritated sigh and raised his right arm.
Crack!
With a sharp snap, an entire tree toppled over, sending a cloud of dirt billowing behind him.
“Listen.”
Bread’s eyes turned cold and menacing.
“I don’t repeat myself. Instructor, Kizen student, none of that matters—I’m talking to you man to man.”
…….
From the atmosphere, it was clear he’d come prepared for a proper confrontation.
Sensing this wouldn’t be settled lightly, Simon nodded in acknowledgment.
“Very well. Lead the way, then.”
The two of them positioned themselves face to face at a distance from the Teleport Magic Circle.
Bread set the tone with a vicious expression.
“Damn it, kids these days have absolutely zero sense of propriety. Things I couldn’t even imagine happening back in my day—it’s ridiculous, truly.”
Bread pressed his temples hard, swallowing his anger.
“If I’ve done something wrong, please tell me.”
“You’re asking for a beating, seriously.”
Bread’s brow furrowed sharply.
“Who do you think you are, ordering Professor Hong Peng around? What the hell? ‘Please teach me Survival Skills’? Ha! You’ve got no sense at all, I’m telling you. Is Professor Hong Peng your personal tutor or something?”
Simon accepted this with a faint smile still playing at his lips.
“Whatever passes between myself and the professor is none of your concern as a teaching assistant—that’s overstepping your authority. Of course, I’m truly sorry that you’ve been called in on your weekend to come pick us up……”
Crack!
Simon closed his mouth. A stone that Bread had kicked embedded itself in a tree beside Simon, splinters flying.
The tree shuddered inward, wisps of pale smoke rising from the wound.
“You think I called you out here for this kind of nonsense?”
Bread pointed at Simon with a thick finger.
“You’re playing with Professor Hong Peng’s feelings, damn it.”
“……What?”
“Ha! No self-awareness whatsoever, this bastard.”
Bread spat onto the ground with a harsh sound.
“Special Admission Entry No. 1—the world seems real easy to you, doesn’t it? I know the professor offered you a place as his direct disciple. You’ve been stringing that along, testing the waters, using the professor this whole time.”
Simon was utterly bewildered.
What on earth was this man going on about?
“You filthy bastard! The professor has such a gentle heart! And you’re toying with that heart, using a direct discipleship as bait……”
“You’re misunderstanding.”
Simon cut him off, setting the record straight.
“It’s true the professor offered me a place as his direct disciple, but I refused immediately.”
Bread’s eyes widened in shock.
“You refused?”
“Yes. I didn’t hedge or dance around it—I made my rejection clear. The professor respected my decision and said that personally, he was curious how far I could go on my own. He also told me that even if I’m not his direct disciple, if I need help as his student, I should ask anytime. What you’re saying—that I’m playing with the professor’s feelings—simply isn’t true.”
Bread said nothing, and Simon continued.
“The invitation to the cabin last time was also something the professor proposed first. I’m telling you again, I……”
“Hey.”
Bread’s mouth twisted into a grimace.
“You’re telling me to believe that crap? So the professor is going out of his way for something with no benefit to him—you honestly think that makes sense?”
Bread struck his own chest with a heavy thud.
“I’ve served the professor for five years. Five years! I know the professor’s thoughts better than anyone else. What does some first-month freshman think they understand?”
Simon let out a hollow laugh.
This was wrong. This was the type who wouldn’t listen to reason.
No matter what he said, the man would just dig in his heels and insist he was right.
‘No.’
Simon felt the killing intent emanating from the man’s body.
From the moment he’d approached, this man had never intended to talk this through.
“Put this on.”
Bread pulled something from his pocket dimension and tossed it to Simon.
It was a Protective Suit.
“It’s a high-grade Protective Suit—worlds beyond what you use in Duel Evaluations or Simulations.”
“……”
“There’s no need for us both to ramble on. Let’s settle it this way instead.”
Bread flexed his fists.
“If you can land even a single hit on me before the Barrier on the Protective Suit shatters, this whole thing is forgotten. And whether it’s an apology, compensation, retirement, or whatever else you want—I’ll do it.”
“And if I can’t land a hit?”
Bread hesitated, then drew a deep breath.
“Accept Professor Hong Peng’s offer to become his direct disciple.”
“……!”
Simon’s eyes widened.
‘That’s unexpected.’
He’d assumed this was just a jealous fool blinded by envy. But this—was the man putting Hong Peng’s interests above his own?
“I do sympathize with her, though.”
Simon scratched the side of his head.
“But forcing your own beliefs on others—that’s contemptible, no matter how you dress it up. And.”
Simon pulled on his Protective Suit.
“If it’s a real contest, I won’t back down either.”
He’d play along for now, let her think she had the upper hand—then flip the board.
Simon’s mind began to race.

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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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