Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1153
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 1153
Ibinta was equally shocked, but his thoughts were slightly different.
‘This method… is actually producing results!’
The western region might be one thing, but this was still just a path leading to the northern region.
Yet already such effects. It was utterly unbelievable.
How shocked must those criminals have been to spread rumors and exchange information to this extent?
However, despite this miracle, Lee Han showed an indifferent reaction.
“How can I trust you people?”
No matter that they came from Einroguard, when criminals had come ready to offer their hearts and souls, showing such a reaction would normally make them furious.
Nothing was as lacking as patience among mercenaries who wandered the back alleys of the Empire.
But the mercenaries who appeared here today showed deep patience like gentle sheep.
“In preparation for you saying that, we’ve personally brought truth serum. If you check the ingredients, we’ll drink it immediately and testify. There are no tricks or deceptions.”
“Hmph. You might have erased your memories before coming.”
“We’ve prepared for that too. Could you look at this mirror? It’s a memory verification artifact we bought for a high price. If you look at this artifact, you’ll see that our memories have no damage whatsoever…”
The fierce battle between the mercenaries trying to survive and the suspicious mage was truly intense.
Giselle, watching from the side, was so speechless she couldn’t say anything.
‘What on earth is this?’
Among criminals, there were some who surrendered seeking mercy, but this was the first time she’d seen ones who prepared so thoroughly before surrendering.
If they had the ability to prepare this thoroughly, couldn’t they just take normal requests instead of committing crimes?
“Hmm. I have no choice but to acknowledge it.”
And surprisingly, the mercenaries achieved victory.
The desperate urgency of needing to survive had made them victorious.
And that against an Einroguard mage!
-Are you really sure about this?
“We have time constraints, so I can’t waste it deliberately. If it’s reliable information, I’ll accept it.”
“You’ve made a wise decision!”
The mercenaries applauded with the happiest faces in the Empire. Ibinta watched this scene and thought to himself.
‘I’m lucky that I’m not to that extent.’
Thinking that what these ruthless mercenaries were doing amounted to just this made him feel only miserable.
* * *
The priest with thorn patterns carved into his forehead blessed those gathered in the alley and spoke.
“Everyone pray. Pray to the great Immortal Regenerator. Pray to that endless vitality and perfect flesh.”
“Ooh…”
“Great deity of life.”
Recently, rumors about a powerful priest who could heal any injury had been spreading in this back alley of the city.
Starting with refugees who had flowed in from the western disaster, to the waves of monsters that had occurred throughout the northern region.
No matter how powerful the Empire’s infrastructure was, there were bound to be those who were marginalized and injured.
And what struck these people most powerfully was precisely the doctrine of evil god worshippers.
The Thorn-Patterned Priest waved his arms with empty eyes. It meant today’s gathering was over.
“What? Is this the end?”
The Anti-Magic Remnants revealed themselves from behind.
These people, who had been wandering after their affiliated faction collapsed in an unexpected accident, had met a priest of the Prahgal cult by chance.
While being called evil god worshippers might sound distasteful, some experienced and skilled villains actually knew how to use evil god worshippers.
They might be called insane madmen, but the fact that they ultimately had faith was true, so if you stimulated that aspect, you could use them as much as you wanted.
These Anti-Magic Remnants were also people who had knowledge and information in that regard.
When they approached the Thorn-Patterned Priest and said they were interested in Prahgal, the priest allowed their lodging without asking or questioning anything.
“That’s right.”
“You’ve gathered people like this? Can’t you use this to do something more? I saw there was even a servant working for a noble family. You could approach noble families, or devour a trading company…”
The remnants here were suffering from lack of supplies and funds.
Whether they quit being anti-magic extremists and started as a new gang, or rebuilt an organization to contact others, they needed gold coins.
“Hmm…”
The Thorn-Patterned Priest closed his eyes.
It seemed as if he was conversing with his god.
“It’s not time yet.”
“…”
Dissatisfaction filled the expressions of the anti-magic extremists.
Bold enough to use an evil god worshipper priest, they also knew something about the structure of faith.
Gods weren’t delicate beings who would give detailed commands. If he had heard the voice of a god, it was likely just because the priest wanted to believe that and felt that way.
“Tsk.”
“This is why madmen are…”
The anti-magic extremists retreated for now. However, their eyes were already glinting ominously.
It was a kind of threat. If they kept ignoring their demands, they might have to pay some price.
When the gathered people left and the anti-magic extremists also retreated, the Thorn-Patterned Priest was left alone.
The Thorn-Patterned Priest thrust his arm deep into his own mouth. It would have been an impossible posture normally, but the priest’s flesh went in smoothly as if he had no bones.
Like a snake swallowing its own tail, as the priest’s flesh twisted strangely, a dimensional rift formed within.
Report.
Surprisingly, the other party was a bishop of the cult!
The numerous dimensions adjacent to the material plane were not only allies helping mages’ knowledge and aspirations, but also hideouts for criminals.
Those who committed serious crimes on the continent either fled across the sea or secretly hid themselves in this manner.
Such localized dimensions, accessible using the flesh of worshippers as keys, were tricky places that even decent mages would find hard to detect.
With his flesh still twisted, the priest opened his mouth.
“I acted as you instructed. The number of believers is increasing.”
What about those remnants?
“They show not even a fragment of faith.”
Of course.
The bishop, the ‘Immortal’, was now a being in which almost no human form could be found.
This being, which looked like a giant snake had been implanted into a head and limbs then inflated, writhed as it fell into thought.
The weight of a bishop’s position in the Empire’s proper religious orders was different from that of a bishop in an evil god worshipper cult.
Unlike the continental religious orders that gave the title of bishop for administrative or honorary reasons due to their large scale, only monsters who had truly proven their abilities could sit in the bishop’s position in evil god worshipper cults.
If they felt that the one sitting above them was unreliable and unfaithful, immediately devouring that person and taking their place was precisely the rule of evil god worshippers.
These few bishops in the cult were both the core that kept the evil god worshipper cult running, and powerful beings trying to transcend their own realm by merging with evil gods.
Recently those extortionist bastards have shown themselves again. After being destroyed once, they’ve become reckless and don’t consider consequences. Foolish, but shouldn’t we teach them a lesson?
Extortionist was an expression other evil god worshippers used to mock the Seinguiros cult.
In the bishop’s view, this resurrected cult didn’t seem likely to last long.
With most of their powerful combatants gone, they were arrogantly raising their heads, so whoever the leader of those extortionist bastards was, they wouldn’t be able to escape with ordinary skills.
“Do you wish to devour them?”
No. Now is not the time for that. We’ve lost much and must focus on recovery. Increase believers and increase faith. The power of divine authority must become about twice as strong as now. There’s no need to deliberately contact such people.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Thinking of the resources that another bishop of the cult had blown away through reckless actions still made anger well up.
The Immortal exhaled poisonous breath with deep patience. For evil god worshippers, everything in the world was an enemy.
Subordinates and fellow bishops were competitors all the same.
Did you feed the bugs to the remnants?
“Yes.”
Then it’s time to begin.
The Anti-Magic Remnants were mistaken about one thing.
They had been able to use the evil god worshipper only because the evil god worshipper had no particular interest in them.
The moment the evil god worshipper took interest in them, their fate could only be cursed.
The Thorn-Patterned Priest had already secretly fed the bugs of divine authority to the remnants.
These bugs amplified their host’s vitality with powerful life force, but simultaneously scattered terrible curses in all directions.
Soon the remnants would become walking disease spreaders, and people would come to depend on the deity of life.
“There’s one more thing I need to report.”
What is it?
“Recently, the number of people searching for those extortionist bastards has greatly increased. According to rumors, several powerful mages are also looking for them.”
Those idiotic fools. That makes sense. No need to worry. If we control them well, they’ll serve as scapegoats.
The Immortal wasn’t particularly worried.
Even among evil worshippers, the differences between orders were severe.
Unlike the Seinguiros Order, which caused bloody sacrificial scenes once they revealed themselves, the Prahgal Order was designed so that the Empire’s citizens would hide them once they showed themselves.
Even if they were being tracked, at most only those idiots would get caught.
* * *
“These wicked thieves. Occupying the roads and collecting tolls as they please. Unforgivable!”
“We mages are the ones who repair the roads, yet you dare collect money?!”
Thanks to the criminals who reported suspicious people first before anything else, Lee Han’s group quickly achieved results.
The White Tiger Tower students who subjugated bandit groups hiding near the roads and arrested human traffickers who had fled from the southern region felt genuinely proud.
“Wardanaz! Thanks for the support. Without your magic… Wait, Wardanaz, why are you like that?”
“I think it’s because there were no evil worshippers among the ones we caught.”
“Ah, no. Evil worshippers can’t be that common. Aren’t they like rare mage cards or something?”
“The analogy is unpleasant, but it’s similar.”
Petty criminals were one thing, but evil worshippers didn’t appear easily.
Of course, just because there was natural logic to it didn’t make him feel better. Lee Han poked at the fallen thieves with a sullen expression.
“Student Lee Han. Student Lee Han.”
“Yes?”
At Professor Garcia’s call, Lee Han stopped poking the fallen thieves with his staff.
The thieves who had been pretending to be dead breathed sighs of relief. The mage who had been firing magic like a madman earlier was doing that, so it was truly spine-chillingly terrifying.
“There’s a plague spreading in Marheim City, and from what I hear about the symptoms, it seems like a curse-type plague.”
“Did someone disturb ancient ruins?”
“Well… Anyway, it would be good to prepare in advance. I’m trying to make potions, will you help me?”
“I’ll help too, Professor.”
Catten said with sparkling eyes. Professor Garcia hurriedly replied.
“Ah, Student Catten! Look, that thief is untying his ropes and trying to attack the underclassmen!”
“???!”
The thief who had been writhing in pain stopped again in shock.
It was a completely unexpected false accusation.
“Student Lee Han?”
When Lee Han suddenly fell silent in thought, Professor Garcia asked with a worried voice.
Usually when this disciple fell into thought like that, he often did strange things…
“Professor. Would it be alright if I offered an opinion?”
“Of course! Do you have any opinions about the potions?”
Professor Garcia didn’t doubt her disciple’s alchemical abilities.
Weren’t they both oddballs who had taken courses from all schools?
“Rather than making potions and distributing them to people, how about I just quickly absorb it with spirit magic and end the situation?”
“…Professor! Professor!! Could you come here for a moment?!”
Professor Garcia quickly called Professor Kirmin.
She didn’t have confidence in persuading this disciple alone.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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