Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1014

Chapter 1014

"Then we'll proceed. Sir Pengerin and Young Wardanaz, please assist according to the situation if the magic goes beyond calculations."

"Understood."

The mages began preparations to completely strip away the veil of disguise hidden deep in the underground sewer.

Though more than 1/3 was already stripped away, with realm energy eroding into reality flowing out, now that the exploration team's preparations were complete, it was time to fully reveal its form.

"Awaken, reveal your form!"

"Activate!"

Crack!

Yi-Han recalled visiting the area where the King of Frost Giants had descended last year.

The phenomenon of reality bizarrely distorting with laws that shouldn't normally be possible.

The appearance of the area below was exactly like that.

"Huk...!"

"This is much worse than expected."

The exploration team members stirred.

Though other-realm appearances were naturally unfamiliar and alien to continental races, even considering that, the sight before them was extraordinary.

Spider webs spread so densely they blocked vision, and acidic liquid pooled throughout the passages.

As the acidic liquid flowed through waterways that should have carried clean water, the sound of dissolving rock could be heard. The nature of the realm this monster lived in was immediately apparent.

"Will you be alri..."

The team member who was about to ask if he was alright out of concern was startled to realize Yi-Han beside him had disappeared.

Turning his head, he saw Yi-Han had already walked to the acidic pool with Alcicle.

"Can this be neutralized?"

"Well. It seems it would take some time. Rather than neutralizing, it would be better to just avoid it. ...Hey! Why are you poking it and tasting it!!"

"Ah. I wanted to check the intensity of the toxicity. It's fine."

'...I can understand why Lady Erindarbell sent him!'

The team member who saw the spine-chilling words and actions thought inwardly.

Indeed, the great mage's eye for talent was flawless.

  *

The magic criminal, Kitarenanoom, spat out contemptuous evaluations inwardly while checking the faces of those gathered.

'Just a collection of trash abandoned by the empire.'

One might think what right does a magic criminal have to say that, but strictly speaking, it wasn't wrong.

Those gathered here now were people who deserved such contempt.

The elf on the left was an evil god worshipper. This elf, whose face including eyes was tightly wrapped in bandages, had blasphemous patterns all over his exposed skin that would make even a magic criminal frown.

The giant mixed-blood on the right was a separatist. This warrior who wanted to lead giants out of the empire and establish a kingdom ruling over numerous slave races had a bounty worth about a castle on his head.

The mage in front was one Kitarenanoom truly didn't want to get involved with.

Among magic criminals, the most alien and horrific kind - the apocalyptists.

Madmen who want to bring about the end of reality after going mad while walking the path of magic!

Though magic criminals had notorious reputations in the empire, they were merely taking slightly more efficient shortcuts for their goals. They couldn't be compared to apocalyptists.

But Kitarenanoom had no choice but to cooperate with them.

The magic criminal force that would normally have cooperated with Kitarenanoom, the Antagondals faction, had suddenly collapsed.

-That word must surely be true?-

-Yes. Trust the words of Esadojiqua, chief aide to the Duke of Anger and foremost herald.-

Kitarenanoom nodded at the demon's voice whispering in his head.

Since forming the evil contract, the demon and magic criminal had maintained a symbiotic relationship.

Though he didn't know how long it would last, at least there had been no particular problems so far.

-He is a monster notorious even among demons. If you can capture and control that monster, none in this land could defeat you.-

-I don't believe it, but I'll try to believe.-

Kitarenanoom naturally didn't fully trust the demon's words.

Demons who contract with mortals never simply showed kindness.

But even if just one-tenth of those words were true, it was enough reason to capture this monster now.

Such a powerful monster.

-I wonder what the others' reasons are.-

The separatist giant fellow probably had similar reasons.

But he couldn't even guess what the evil god worshipper or apocalyptist were thinking. And he didn't want to guess.

Their mad purposes and plans were impossible to understand without equivalent madness.

-It doesn't matter. Use them to capture the monster then cut them all down. I, Esadojiqua, will help you.-

-I know, so stop chattering, demon friend.-

At the magic criminal's insolent words, the great demon growled low with an angry cry.

However, it didn't go further than that. This great demon's power was not yet complete.

-When I, Esadojiqua's power recovers and the Duke of Anger revives...-

The great demon repeated the same story it always told.

That it would recover its power and revive the master it served.

Kitarenanoom naturally didn't want that.

The demon and magic criminal could maintain a symbiotic relationship because they both had many needs.

"Now."

The bandaged evil god worshipper elf opened his mouth.

Crack!

When the underground waterway before them suddenly transformed into a hostile realm full of spider webs and acidic liquid, those gathered stirred.

When the mercenaries gathered with money stirred, the giant mixed-blood warrior jumped up from his seat. In one hand he held a greatsword matching the height of a tall person.

"We move. They've cleared the way."

"Shouldn't we check if it's dangerous?"

"Good point."

The giant mixed-blood warrior grabbed a nearby mercenary's head and threw him forward.

Splash!

The mercenary thrown into the waterway melted with a scream. Despite the horrific sight, the warrior didn't stop and threw more mercenaries one by one.

"We can breathe. Let's go! I will ride that beast. It will make a much better mount than sheep."

"It-it will be much more helpful than st-stupid sheep."

A terrified mercenary barely managed to speak flatteringly after coming to his senses.

The giant mixed-blood warrior stopped abruptly and looked at the mercenary.

"What did you say?"

"Huh? It-it will be much more helpful than st-stupid sheep..."

Splash!

The warrior pushed the mercenary into the waterway. Then he spat out.

"How dare you insult my sheep!"

"Be quiet. It will be troublesome if others hear."

Kitarenanoom stopped the warrior.

What they wanted was to quietly capture the monster and escape, not to summon all the empire's powerful figures in the capital here.

"Let them come if they dare. I'll kill them all."

-Stupid beast.-

When the demon muttered, Kitarenanoom grinned. He agreed.

"Fortunately we're underground. Even shouting won't leak out."

"None will come from outside."

The evil god worshipper elf suddenly spoke. Kitarenanoom felt quite relieved.

That elf boasted quite high-level divination magic. If he said that, there was a high chance the operation wouldn't be discovered.

"We will meet the monster."

"Even better."

"Not good."

"???"

The evil god worshipper elf suddenly turned around.

"I'm going back. Better to avoid this place than offer the beast to my master."

"Wh-what's with that bastard?"

When the evil god worshipper suddenly left, the atmosphere became strange. The mercenaries the giant mixed-blood warrior had brought frowned.

"Shouldn't we kill him? If he blows our location..."

"Leave him be. Would someone who serves an evil god act as an informant? Good that we don't have to share the spoils."

The warrior paid little attention despite the elf's departure. Rather, he rejoiced focusing only on the increased reward.

Though Kitarenanoom agreed, he felt inexplicably uneasy.

Because of that, he unconsciously threw a question at the apocalyptist mage beside him.

"What do you think?"

"About what?"

"That elf."

"Ah! The divination?"

The apocalyptist's voice was so gentle and kind it was rather more chilling.

Kitarenanoom immediately regretted asking.

"Even if things get tangled, it won't be a problem."

"...Why?"

"If everyone here dies, that too will be progress toward the end!"

"..."

-What an unpleasant spellchanter.-

The demon muttered. Kitarenanoom agreed with this too.

"The monster!"

"!"

'Already?'

Those present turned their gazes at the shouts of the mercenaries scouting ahead.

Surprisingly, a huge spider was really looking this way.

"Don't kill it. Capture it! I'll make it my mount!"

"Get out of the way."

Kitarenanoom chanted while extending one arm. His arm transformed entirely into pre-prepared magic.

It was the most alien and bizarre application among transformation magic applications.

To pre-compress magic and carry it in arm form.

But the effect was certain. When released from its reins, the highly compressed magic immediately spread fiercely.

A vicious binding magic that no realm's monster could easily escape from.

Baqwantallana's Binding!

Snap!

Dozens of layers of nets and chains appeared like shadows in the air and bound the spider tightly. The mercenaries drew in sharp breaths.

"What, caught it? Amazing!"

Though the giant mixed-blood warrior admired it, Kitarenanoom couldn't smile.

Something felt strange.

"Too... weak."

"What? Ah."

The warrior who was about to ask what he meant froze.

Far away on the opposite side of the eroded web waterway, dozens of spider monsters revealed themselves.

"It wasn't just one!"

"It increased its numbers in the meantime. Be careful!"

The trash abandoned by the empire clashed fiercely with the spider legion, shouting savagely. Countless spiders surged like waves from behind the waterway.

  *

"You say you go around with Professor Bagrak during breaks?"

"Yes. The professor is a very valuable client."

The exploration team included not just knights, rangers, stonemasons, and alchemists, but also adventurers.

And surprisingly, these adventurers from the <Wasteland Peacock> party also had connections with Professor Boladi.

They were actually people the professor occasionally hired during breaks.

"Could it be as opponents for student tests... Ah. No. That wouldn't have happened anyway."

"?"

"It's nothing. What kind of requests did he usually make?"

"That... we can't reveal."

The adventurers avoided his gaze with awkward faces. Yi-Han thought inwardly.

'What have you been doing?'

"Plunder? Theft? Robbery? Illegal duels? Bounty hunting? No, why do you get startled each time I speak?"

"Y-you're misunderstanding."

Yi-Han became more scared when they got startled each time the other party spoke.

Surely they hadn't done all of those?

"Wait. There are others ahead."

"What? Down here underground?"

Alcicle, who had been summoning cold air to protect everyone's respiratory systems, paused.

The others' eyes changed immediately too.

"If not the monster, then uninvited guests."

"I'll prepare."

The group immediately entered combat stance and burned with fighting spirit. Yi-Han also stored necessary magic and cast enhancement magic.

"!"

What appeared in the distance was an elf with his face bizarrely wrapped in bandages. Seeing the blasphemous patterns visible on his exposed skin, Alcicle made a sound of clicking his beak in displeasure.

The elf opened his mouth abruptly.

"You've met the monster."

"...?"

Yi-Han unconsciously turned his head back. No monster was visible.

'How dare this bastard use such a shallow trick!'

As an Einroguard student, to fall for such deception.

Even with many companions, it was something to be ashamed of. Yi-Han reflected deeply.