Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 988
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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 988
While Catten was flustered by his junior’s words, the Frost Giant continued explaining.
-This duel is to prove how well a warrior can utilize their strength and mana.
“I see. Understood.”
Lee Han responded carefully.
Looking at the ice of that glacier, the fact that it could be melted with mana was definitely an advantageous factor for Lee Han.
He had recent experience utilizing mana in relation to Orichalcum, so this would be helpful too.
‘But a more advantageous duel might come up.’
If he chose hastily and a more favorable duel appeared later, it would be a disaster. Lee Han waited calmly.
-The next duel is this.
Thud!
“…?”
The Frost Giant dragged over a fallen comrade and placed him on the rock with a thud.
Lee Han and Giselle were shocked by this unexpected event.
What kind of duel was that supposed to be?
-You hit this guy’s head hard to wake him up.
“…I don’t know much about the physical structure of Frost Giants, but if you hit his head hard in this state, he’ll probably sleep forever.”
-Hahaha! Challenger. You don’t know what you’re talking about. This helmet is a magical helmet.
The Frost Giant laughed at Lee Han’s words and pointed to his fallen comrade’s helmet.
Surprisingly, magical energy could be felt from the helmet.
Despite Lee Han’s considerable talent for detecting mana, he hadn’t noticed it before being told.
‘Amazing. Is it because Frost Giant magic has a unique structure? Even considering that, it’s extraordinary.’
A helmet that could hide magic from the outside like that was no ordinary artifact.
-It’s an invincible helmet that blocks all impacts.
“…But he fell earlier, didn’t he?”
-I hit his face. Even an invincible helmet can’t protect parts it doesn’t cover.
The Frost Giant looked at Lee Han as if he was saying something really stupid.
“Then you wake him up by hitting his face?”
-What are you talking about? If you hit a fallen warrior’s weak point, he could sleep forever. Of course you have to hit the helmet.
“You said it was an invincible helmet…”
-It’s an invincible helmet, but if you hit it really hard, there’s still impact. That’s exactly what this duel tests.
“…”
Lee Han resolved to think that about half of whatever Frost Giants said from now on would be boasting.
For an invincible helmet, it wasn’t very invincible.
‘I see. A duel where you apply impact to the helmet to kill… no, wake up the opponent.’
This duel also had advantages for Lee Han.
Since that helmet blocked impacts with magic, if he could break the magic itself, that function would disappear.
No matter how much it was Frost Giant magic, if he wielded Baldoron’s mana hammer, he felt he could stop it momentarily at least.
‘That helmet doesn’t seem to have a separate magical structure prepared against mana hammers. There’s a high chance it’ll work.’
“Junior.”
“?”
Catten had approached from behind at some point.
The beastman senior whispered worriedly.
“Will you be alright? Even now, if you just give the signal…”
“Ah. I’m still fine. Let me hear a bit more.”
“!!!”
Catten was greatly surprised.
He had come to check directly in case Giselle had misunderstood, but Lee Han gave the same answer?
“Are there any other duels by chance?”
-That’s right. The last duel is a very enjoyable one. A duel of drinking poisoned liquor.
Duels of drinking strong alcohol weren’t unique to Frost Giants alone.
Such customs could be found throughout the Empire, and giants and dwarves also enjoyed them…
-It’s liquor with poison made by magic.
“…Pardon?”
Lee Han asked again, thinking he had misheard.
But he had heard correctly. The Frost Giant brought over a large liquor barrel and said.
-It’s liquor with plenty of poison made by our shaman. When a warrior wants to prove how tough he is, he gulps down this liquor.
Frost Giants didn’t stop at strong liquor but enjoyed liquor with actual poison added.
Occasionally giants really died from drinking it, but fighting was the same. No giant would stop fighting just because there were casualties.
Catten made his decision with certainty this time.
“I’m drawing my sword. Junior.”
“Luck is on my side. This worked out perfectly.”
“?!?!!”
Catten looked at the delighted White Tiger Tower junior with shocked eyes.
…Could it be that he and Wardanaz weren’t on good terms?
‘They definitely seemed close though…’
* * *
The duel naturally ended with Lee Han’s victory, having chosen the third match.
-Urrrrrgh…
“…”
However, Lee Han couldn’t rejoice even after winning.
The number of fallen giants had increased to two.
-Poison, drank too much poison…
“If you collapse, who will guarantee my honor! Senior. Do you happen to know a way to detoxify this poisoned liquor?”
“Junior. There’s no way I would know that.”
Catten spoke confidently.
Not many people could say they didn’t know something so confidently. Lee Han found himself nodding in understanding without realizing it.
‘That’s definitely true.’
“I’ve never seen that liquor before either. Wardanaz. It’s Frost Giant poison to begin with.”
“Has the Moradi Family ever fought Frost Giants by any chance?”
“Not every family struggles against monsters from other dimensions.”
Arguing with Giselle wouldn’t solve anything. Lee Han gave up and changed his approach.
Gonadaltes’ Yeongnak!
This strange magic that transferred the opponent’s status ailments to himself would normally have little use, but in a situation like this, it was different.
Since he could easily take on something like poisoning without much concern…
-Cough!
The Frost Giant, whose complexion had darkened from poisoning, came to his senses.
“Are you awake?”
-Did, did I lose?
“Yes.”
-I don’t remember! I can’t accept it! Let’s duel once more…
Swish-
Catten pressed his sword to the Frost Giant’s neck. The Frost Giant nodded.
-…If I were to request that, it would dishonor me as a warrior. I will guarantee the challenger’s honor with my name. “Thank you!”
The Frost Giant woke up his helmeted comrade who was sprawled nearby.
While grumbling.
-Deciding honor with just one duel. What’s so bad about two or three times?
“…”
“…”
The helmeted frost giant belatedly came to his senses and shouted.
-I should have swung my fist instead of a club… What happened!?
-The challenger has passed the test. I promised to guarantee his honor.
-You, you fool…! You should have left it to me then! You’ve stolen the honor from all of us!
-Hmph. Then you should have challenged first.
The recovered frost giants growled and exchanged sharp words among themselves.
And when their conversation ended, they kept glancing at Lee Han.
-Maybe one more duel could earn the honor of being recognized by the king as a challenger…
-Honestly speaking, isn’t one duel too few? True honor is built through multiple duels…
“What kind of bastards are these?”
Giselle spat out in disbelief.
Their appearance was that of a majestic warrior race, but their behavior was more petty than the giants living in the Einroguard mountain range.
If they lost, they lost, yet they kept glancing this way and being clingy with things like ‘ah, one duel is too few’ and ‘it would be nice to have more duels.’
-Wh-what are you talking about? We didn’t say anything.
-We won’t tolerate insults, outsider!
The frost giants, apparently stung, stopped being clingy and guided the way.
The other frost giants staying in the fortress made of snow and ice located inside the valley expressed bewilderment at seeing the visitors.
-Who are they? What business do outsiders from another dimension have here?
-They are honorable challengers recognized by that king.
-What!? Then that honor should be mine…
-It’s already over. I challenged and lost, and promised there would be no more challenges.
-Who are you to decide!
The frost giants swarmed out and got furiously angry at their comrade.
Because of this greedy one, the opportunity for great honor had flown away!
“I understand your disappointment, but what can you do? Everyone should give up…”
Even at Lee Han’s words, the frost giants didn’t give up easily.
Someone muttered.
-If the one who made the promise disappears, wouldn’t it reset? We might be able to duel again.
-Indeed! …Wait, would you come this way for a moment?
-How dare you?! You’ll never be able to eliminate me!
The frost giant who was about to be dragged away by his comrades and disappear shouted in rage.
However, the other frost giants were no pushovers either.
Since the opportunity for honor to be recognized by the king had just disappeared, they wanted to get rid of this selfish comrade and obtain it again.
“That’s enough. You trash. Are you still fighting over such trivial matters?”
At the human mage’s voice coming from behind, the frost giants showed their anger.
No matter how much recognition some had received, frost giants weren’t a merciful race that would tolerate insults from outsiders from other dimensions.
-What insolent one dares to… Gasp! Gonadaltes!
-Go, Gonadaltes!
-Gonadaltes, you say???
The frost giants who were about to explode in anger checked the mage behind them and were horrified.
No matter how dull frost giants were at distinguishing the appearances of other races, they could never forget that face.
The nightmare of the giant race, Gonadaltes!
That very mage was standing at the valley entrance with a group of servants.
-What brings you here?
“A disciple of royalty visited as an envoy, but it was taking too long.”
The White Tiger Tower students who followed behind the insane doppelganger kept nodding.
Although the Skeleton Principal’s projection was a dangerous archmage, at least right now he was an archmage on their side.
‘Please show those frost giants what’s what!’
-Gonadaltes’s disciple, you say?!
“Once.”
-?
“I showed mercy once. There won’t be a second time, so guard that tongue well.”
The frost giants hesitantly nodded their heads.
-So he was that archmage’s disciple?
“…That’s right.”
Although the insane doppelganger who came late after the duel was over was a bit annoying, Lee Han thought it was better that he came now than never.
Thanks to him, the attitude of the frost giants who were going to keep being clingy completely changed.
‘What did he do to the giants in the past?’
Lee Han had also seen the young Skeleton Principal beating up everyone from giants to demons in the distant ancient times.
But to think they’d be this scared even after such a long time had passed. Even though they were a race from another dimension.
‘No. That’s not what’s important right now.’
“Everyone stop obsessing over honor and duels now! We should properly get to the main point.”
Lee Han quickly shouted.
When the frost giants were scared, he had to nail it down firmly so they could never bring it up again.
-Understood. We’ll get to the main point.
-But wait just a moment.
The frost giants nodded in agreement, then each took something out from their pockets.
It was a memo pad made of beeswax.
Lee Han became curious at the sight of them scribbling with their large hands.
Lee Han grabbed the helmeted frost giant who had fallen first earlier and asked a question.
“What are you all writing right now?”
-Challenger, can’t you read?
“…I don’t know frost giant letters, but I can read other things.”
-It’s good to learn letters.
Being looked at pitifully by a monolingual speaker was somehow annoying.
But Lee Han endured it.
“So what does it mean?”
-This means ‘honorable challenger recognized by the king.’ It’s a modifier describing you, challenger.
“…What about below that?”
-Below that means ‘disciple of mage Gonadaltes.’ This is also a modifier describing you, challenger.
“Then what’s the last line?”
-It means since you have two honors that absolutely cannot be yielded to others, we must claim them first.
Lee Han nodded.
And then he resolved that he should confiscate writing materials from the frost giants.
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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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