The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 92

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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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Chapter 92

That was when something tar-like and viscous clung to my feet, dragging me down to the ground.
“Ugh!”
I attempted to use a falling technique, but the tar-like substance began enveloping my entire body, leaving me no time to brace myself as I plummeted.
With a heavy thud against the floor, I thrashed desperately to peel away the tar adhering firmly to every inch of my body.
“Damn it… this bastard won’t even die…!”
“Kehehehe….”
The tar writhed and undulated, and Talamans’ head materialized upon my shoulder. He still bore his five horns.
“I shall devour you as sustenance…!”
‘This creature still covets my mana.’
I struggled, but the more I thrashed, the tighter Talamans constricted around me.
“Now, stay still… ggg-gack?”
Talamans’ words died in his throat as he suddenly emitted mechanical squeaks. My left hand had seized his fifth horn—Khalid’s left horn.
“Rraaagh!”
Brilliant light erupted from the ring adorning my index finger. It was holy power.
The light was absorbed through Khalid’s horn, spreading throughout Talamans’ entire form rooted at the horn’s base.
“By the name of causality, I declare!”
I chanted Petila’s incantation.
“Let it be as I will!”
“Aaaahhh!”
Talamans’ body convulsed violently, tearing away from me. The tar strangling my throat released, and I coughed as I pushed myself upright.
Talamans collapsed into black mucus, losing all form upon the ground. It seemed that Khalid’s horn possessed the power to reduce his body to this state.
I prodded Khalid’s horn among the five scattered across the mucus with my staff’s tip, confirmed no unusual reaction, then picked it up with my hand.
Fortunately, I heard no strange voice as before, nor did anything attempt to erode my consciousness.
“Is it over?”
I tilted my head curiously. Khalid’s left horn had been purged of its dark aura by Petila’s holy power, returning to an utterly ordinary horn.
As I rotated it, examining it from every angle, Pongko—who had been vigilantly watching lest Khalid regain consciousness—tilted his head in confusion.
“Leoryna, isn’t that Khalid’s horn?”
“It is.”
“Aren’t you going to return it to Khalid?”
“Why would I return this to Khalid?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“From what I’ve gathered, attacks through this horn can penetrate even the defensive magic inscribed upon Khalid’s outer garments.”
“You’re going to kill Khalid with that horn?”
“Of course. He’s unconscious now—when will I get another chance like this?”
I wet my lips with my tongue.
But the moment I channeled my mana into the horn, it rebounded from my hand. I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
“Khalid’s mana circuits remain embedded in the horn, causing it to repel me.”
I carefully placed the horn in my bag instead of using it immediately. Just as I was about to wake Khalid, a heavy iron door screeched open from outside, preceded by thunderous pounding.
Terror etched itself across Pongko’s face.
“L-Leoryna! Renokter has entered the Underground Prison!”
“Now that the horn’s power has faded, he’s come without hesitation.”
I slapped Khalid repeatedly to rouse him.
“Professor! Wake up! Professor Khalid!”
“I thought you’d abandon him, but you’re taking him with us? Why not just let Renokter have him?”
Pongko spoke with genuine surprise, and I responded as though it were obvious.
“This fool knows the secret passages! I can’t escape this castle alone!”
Pongko nodded in understanding.
“Mm….”
My treatment proved effective—Khalid groaned softly before his eyes snapped open. He bolted upright, his gaze darting around the room.
“Leoryna!”
“Yes, I’m right here.”
Relief flooded Khalid’s face the moment he confirmed my presence beside him. Then his expression hardened as he surveyed our surroundings with piercing eyes.
“Where is that creature Talamans or whatever?”
“Ah….”
I scrambled to fabricate an excuse. I couldn’t very well tell him I’d defeated Talamans myself.
I was still struggling to come up with something plausible when another thunderous boom echoed through the chamber.
“Ahhhhh! Renokter!”
Pongko jumped in terror. I waved my hands frantically as I spoke.
“Professor, this isn’t the time! Renokter has entered the Underground Prison and is heading this way!”
“Bah, that beast is nothing. But where is that Talamans you mentioned? Where is my horn?!”
“I’ll explain outside, just come on!”
As Pongko and I pushed Khalid forward, he reluctantly began moving. We ventured deeper into the Underground Prison until we reached a dead end. There, Khalid infused mana into a specific brick in the wall. The adjacent wall swung open like a door, and the sound of flowing water echoed from within.
Following Khalid deeper into the Underground Prison, we reached a dead end, but he infused magic into a brick at a specific location. Then the wall beside us opened like a door, and the sound of water could be heard from inside.
“We can escape through this water channel.”
Khalid took the lead and extended his hand toward me.
I didn’t truly need his assistance, but something made me hesitate to refuse. So I placed my hand in his, and he gripped it firmly.
As the three of us entered the water channel, the secret door slid shut behind us.
Khalid conjured light to illuminate the darkness around us. Following the path beside the water channel, I heard no trace of Renokter’s footsteps. It seemed he had finally abandoned his pursuit.
As Pongko and I caught our breath, Khalid, walking ahead, asked a question.
“Are you alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you injured?”
“No, I’m fine.”
I nodded vigorously. Khalid glanced sideways to assess my condition, then released a deep sigh.
I noticed Khalid gripping my hand tightly as we walked, as though bracing for danger. I asked him in return.
“And you, Professor—are you alright?”
“Me? Well, as you know, I’m quite resilient.”
“For someone so tough, you sure went down after a single hit.”
“That’s….”
Khalid opened his mouth as if to make an excuse, then closed it again. He decided there was no point explaining it to her.
“More importantly, what exactly happened?”
As Khalid’s inevitable interrogation continued, Leoryna produced the explanation she had prepared in the interim.
“Ah, well. The truth is, I recently received one of my great-grandmother’s heirlooms.”
Leoryna showed Khalid the ring on her index finger as she spoke.
“It appears to be quite a remarkable ring that the Holy Maiden of the previous generation of Petila personally blessed! So I started wearing it as a talisman, and when Talamans’ corrupted mana touched me, the ring’s sacred power purified it and made it disappear!”
“…What?”
Khalid asked with a bewildered expression.
“I was knocked flat on my back, and you’re telling me Petila’s sacred power alone defeated Talamans?”
“Yes! Impressive, isn’t it? So Talamans couldn’t overcome the purifying force and melted away. Thanks to that, I’m safe and sound.”
Since I had indeed used the ring’s power and Talamans had truly dissolved and vanished, it wasn’t exactly a lie.
“Even all of his horns.”
“Then, my horns too?”
Khalid looked at Leoryna with an expression of disbelief, and she rolled her eyes before answering.
“Your horns were also purified and disappeared, Professor.”
“Really?”
Khalid opened his eyes wide in disbelief, but Leoryna merely nodded vigorously.
“I’m telling you! All five of the other horns and your horns have vanished!”
Khalid seemed unconvinced and uncertain. Leoryna quickly added her explanation.
“Since that horn’s mana was corrupted, it’s only natural that it would be purified by sacred power. Isn’t that right?”
As Leoryna spoke with a bright smile, half insisting on her point, Khalid seemed to be gradually coming around.
“Was that horn absolutely necessary for you, Professor? Did you need to recover it?”
“Not particularly. But that horn….”
“Then it’s fine that it’s gone, right?”
Before Khalid could say anything else, Leoryna confirmed once more. Faced with her momentum, Khalid stopped himself and nodded.
“That’s right. It was a horn I didn’t need. If it’s been purified, there’s no better news than that. I was worried about it.”
“The reason you sealed the horn in this castle was because its mana was corrupted?”
Since I had answered Khalid’s question adequately, now it was my turn.
“Why was your horn here in the first place, Professor?”
I needed to understand why Khalid’s horn was here and what power it contained. The illusion the horn showed me was likely the circumstances of the 108 Clans massacre that occurred 124 years ago.
And besides.
‘Halgrok…that’s what he said.’

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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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