Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 10
Life at the academy was really nothing to write home about.
I'd stay up all night reading books, get up at dawn to spend an hour or two in the training room, then head to work right on time at 8 a.m.
Once there, Professor Nam Hwa-yeon would hand me the sections to use for the script without fail, and I'd memorize the textbooks inside and out to write it up.
That's how I'd spent about three weeks.
It's about time I started venturing out for some external activities.
If I had my way, I'd collect hidden opportunities or secret items. Or maybe take out the villains who show up later ahead of time.
But that's easier said than done.
What chance does a guy who can barely take care of himself have at snagging some fateful encounter and beating enemies?
Besides, I'm just an extra villain to begin with.
Stuff like that belongs to the protagonist and the main characters.
"...So what do I do with this? Should I just return it?"
While referencing various textbooks and papers to put together the script, a book on my desk suddenly caught my eye.
A fresh light green cover.
It was a healing magic tome I'd borrowed last night.
There wasn't much to it, and no real need to read it again, so I'd gotten up at 5 a.m. to wait for Seo Ye-rin in the training room.
But by almost 7, she hadn't shown so much as a shadow.
She must've changed her training schedule.
It's gotta be because of me.
Until now, whenever I went to the training room, the vast underground first-floor space had been all hers.
But today, it was empty. Not like last time where I hadn't sensed her presence.
There were signs someone had been there.
Just no Seo Ye-rin anywhere.
Ha, what a mess.
It was frustrating, but there wasn't much I could do.
I pushed my complicated feelings aside and tried to focus on work.
But
clatter clatter.
The random noises from all around kept breaking my concentration.
It wasn't like someone was deliberately trying to distract me. The whole lab was just noisy.
"Hey, move that box over there."
"This one? It's too heavyis this the right one?"
"Heavy my ass. You're just weak. Eat some meat, build some muscle."
"I've moved how many boxes already? You think I've got energy to spare?"
"Quit slacking and move the stuff already. If the professor finds out, we're toast."
A bunch of burly guys struggling with large crates.
The women weren't exempt either. Most of the TAs in the lab were hauling items, packing luggagedoing all sorts of unusual things.
What the hell was going on?
Curious, I tried grabbing a passerby to ask, but they turned away and ignored me.
People avoiding me was nothing new.
But this gritted-teeth stonewalling was pretty fresh.
Even the veteran TAs, and the newbie I'd seen yesterday, were starting to dodge me now. Left with no choice, I grabbed the senior TA as he passed.
"Senior TA, could you spare a moment?"
"Oh, Junior calling me? But I'm kinda short on timemake it quick."
"Everyone seems busy. What's going on?"
My question earned an odd look from the senior TA.
A mix of how could you not know and well, maybe you wouldn't. Were they all going off without me?
"Oh, this? There's a conference coming up soon. Most of the lab's attending."
Bingo. Off having fun without me.
I didn't know what conference, but prepping without a word to me smelled fishy.
Like they were hiding something important.
"You really had no idea? I figured you'd know since you're under Professor Nam Hwa-yeon."
"What conference has everyone hustling like this...?"
"The Magic Conference in three days. No way you didn't know? Every mage knows about it."
"...!!"
His words jogged my memory.
The Magic Conference around this time.
And the incident it triggered.
I've been thinking... the first episode feels a bit off from the start.
What do you mean?
This is an academy genre novel I'm writing. Having villains raid it, then the protagonist's friends die in front of him to awaken himfeels a stretch plausibility-wise.
True, professors are usually portrayed as powerhouses in academies. Security getting breached by one villain is kinda silly.
Yeah, so I had an idea. What if we send all the professors and guards off-site?
...And I'd replied that yeah, that made sense for plausibility.
Damn it, I shouldn't have said that back then.
While I was lost in thought, the senior TA waved goodbye, saying he had to get back to conference prep.
Even after he vanished from sight, I stood frozen in place. I'd realized the original storystill in its very early stageswas starting to progress.
"The episode's coming up already? Time's flown."
Not long after the protagonist enrolls at Chilseong Academy and makes friends.
A massive incident turns the academy upside down.
Dubbed the "Academy Raid Incident" later on, it happens early in the original story and shifts the atmosphere dramatically.
It's the first episode.
The true start of the novel Academy Blockhead Genius.
Above all, it's the monumental episode where the protagonist awakens.
The protagonist in the early story has a strong sense of justice but is immature physically and mentally.
He enters as 1,999th out of 2,000 freshmen. Despite his efforts, he's just an average Joe that's Kyle.
He stirs up trouble by acting tough despite being weak.
That's why "blockhead" is in the title.
But he awakens through this first episode and claims top spot next semester.
A crucial turning point for the story's progression.
The academy gets flipped on its head by a huge incident, and the hero who'll save the world is born.
But every event comes with sacrifices.
For the protagonist to awaken, there needs to be a fitting trigger.
The Academy Raid Incident involves hundreds of demons and mercenaries hired by dark mages.
They kill several guards on entry and nine students during the raid.
And
"All of it happens right in front of the protagonist."
A hero's origin story always needs solid grounding.
Since he's a student, nothing drives it home like classmates dying before his eyes. No other way.
Powerless, unable to resist.
He watches his fellow students die right there.
As tragic as it is.
Their sacrifice is inevitable.
If I tipped off the academy brass, security would tighten that day regardless of the truth.
The victims might survive, but the protagonist wouldn't awaken.
No awakening means the world's course could go off the railsmaybe even a bad end unlike the original.
Step step.
While the TAs focused on conference prep, I slipped away for a bit.
I could finish work in an hour or two.
Right now, I just wanted to walk.
Leaving the lab, strolling through the park, I spotted tons of students.
Young kids reveling in their youth. They're society's fresh seeds, sure.
But do they really need saving? This world's just a novel anyway.
Lately, this dilemma had me in a chokehold.
It's even given me insomnia recently.
Even if innocent kids die, if it awakens the protagonist and steers the world to the right endingisn't that for the best?
Morality versus peace.
I was weighing those two.
The answer was obvious anyway.
Hey! What'd you get on the healing practical?
Me? 3 points. Bare minimum score plus attitude points.
Study harder, dumbass. B in practical but bombing theory?
Gotta match your averages somehow.
Bullshit. I got 5, you know? It's that girl from class 3 distracting you. We all know.
Students' chatter and laughter drifted over.
Normally it'd be nothing, but right now, I didn't want to hear it.
"...Fucking hell."
My stomach churned.
Like I might puke any second.
Thwack. I punched my face.
A blow hard enough to taste blood in my mouth.
The sharp pain lingering on my palate eased the nausea a bit.
Ah, it hurts like a bitch.
Couldn't control my strengthhit too hard.
But pain was better.
I was used to it.
Let's head back.
I hurried back to the lab like I was fleeing.
It was still buzzing with conference prep.
No one paid me any mind.
Even after sneaking out and back, no one noticed.
Maybe that indifference.
It felt kinda comforting in its emptiness.
I sat down naturally.
Business as usual.
Work as usual.
Everything the same as always.
Resuming tasks, I shoved down the negative thoughts swirling in my head.
Yeah, this can't be helped.
Look at me now.
Just like always.
Living a normal day.
Just hold out like this until the novel ends.
Like the dime-a-dozen extra I am, today, tomorrow, and beyond.
Then I can survive this brutal world.
I absolutely cannot die.
* * *
1:30 a.m.
Time for most students to be asleep.
Normally, I'd be reading, but for some reason, the words wouldn't stick tonight.
Too early to sleep, thoughtime's precious.
Especially now, with the first episode looming. I had to build strength ahead of unknown threats.
Or I might end up as Victim #1.
With Seo Ye-rin absent, training went in the deepest room as usual.
"Repeating this drill's paying off. Flame magic's getting stable."
Flames drifted lazily in the air.
Shifting forms, maintaining steady power in any situation.
Worth those early morning sessions.
This level meant I'd mastered [Flame] and basic fire magic.
Time for applications.
I could jump to the next basic fire spell, but practicality's low.
[Flame], [Fireball]basics, if we classify. Next up is low-tier.
With a raid possibly imminent, low-tier won't cut it.
So mix with other magics for synergy.
Like fire raging with oil or spreading with wind. Needed ways to amplify fire magic.
After deep thought, three candidates: curses, incantations, telekinesis.
Telekinesis ranked highest for me.
Telekinesis magic isn't profound. Low-tier difficulty, if ranked.
Master it, and you get ultra-vibrations or massive constructsbut basically,
Just move objects without touching.
Nothing complicated.
Power from thought alonethat's telekinesis.
I'd apply this simple spell to fire magic.
Start with the basics.
Added telekinesis to the flame spell formula I'd practiced for weeks.
The thin flame streak veered oddly.
Whoosh!
Hitting the wall, it fizzled out, uncontrolled.
I figured it'd be tricky, but tougher than expected. Can't just slap 'em together.
This time, layered telekinesis over flame without formula integration.
Tried spreading a small flame or shaping a blade.
Boom!
Explosion scattered shredded flames.
Trial and error followed, but all failures.
This is driving me nuts.
"...What's missing?"
Power lacking?
No, even [Double Helix] wouldn't help much.
So what? I pondered deeply.
Creative spark? Battle-honed instinct?
Thoughts deepened, ideas tangled like roots, forming a subjective worldview.
Bang!
Extended hand sparked flameinstant explosion.
Not this.
Roooar!!
Uncontrollable fire pillar shot up, hit ceiling, wilted.
Not this either.
[Double Helix] maybe?
No, rejected.
Could wreck my wrist if power overwhelms.
Endless trial and error.
But gains were clear.
Each cast ingrained it deeper in hands and body.
Summit was close.
One step.
Just one.
[Entering Flow State!]
[All senses sharpen acutely.]
[Magic Saint talent blooms brilliantly!]
All nerves poured into magic.
Link [Flame] formula to [Telekinesis] formula.
Not mere fusionmerge into one.
Brute force, but I trusted it.
This was right.
Like splicing delicate nerves, I unified the two magics.
Producing tangible flames.
Normal fire's just heat and light.
This had clear form.
"...Got it."
Flames blazed in bizarre directions. Top to bottom, left to right.
All per my will.
Harmony of fire and telekinesis magic.
Pyrokinesis.
"...Let's test it."
Shiver racing my spine, I calmed and ignited flames.
Success was obvious.
But needed to gauge the level. Half-assed wouldn't do.
Roar, flames swelled fiercely.
The massive blaze moved like an extension of me, utterly natural. Onto next phase.
Thrust right hand forward, clenched fist tight.
Boom, explosive burst of embers.
Flickering remnants scattered everywhere, blazing as they spread.
Ember specks invisible to the naked eye.
But infuse mana here...
"...Nah, test ends here."
Planned to chain explosions like landmines with scattered embers. Instinct screamed it was feasible.
Knowing that made more tests pointless.
Most applications I envisioned were viable.
As I gathered mana and tidied up, a thought struck.
What if [Double Helix] on Pyrokinesis?
Theoretically possible...
[Double Helix] doubles output and power.
Untamable before, but with Pyrokinesis's object control via telekinesis, maybe manageableeven immense power.
Experimental urge flared.
...Drop it.
Too exhausted now. Raid in daysneed peak condition.
Last time, lost control and got flung back.
Lucky no major injury, but can't bank on luck again.
Cleaned the training room and headed out.
But a girl stood blankly at the door.
"...Oh, hi?"
"..."
Familiar face.
Seo Ye-rin with her spear.
Chills ran down my spine. Waiting for revenge?
She passed me without a glance, entering the room.
Relief at being ignored. Better bail before troubleback to dorms quick.
Stepping out, cool wind hit sweat-soaked skin, chilling it instantly.
Cleared my head, and I remembered.
"...Forgot to snuff the embers?"
Scattered during Pyrokinesis test.
Meant to dispel with mana, but tired and figured no one'd come at 3 a.m.
They'd fizzle in 30 anyway. Invisible, and she's a future prodigyshould handle it.
That instant
Rumble!!
The building shook hard.
Explosion echoed, but no external signs.
So...
"...Went off inside."
Seo Ye-rin must've triggered the embers.
Chain reaction, her at ground zero.
"..."
The multi-user underground room has sturdy mana barriersno major issue. Her damage minimal.
She's a trained warrior, after all.
But warriors get pissed too.
Especially if clothes caught in blast.
"...Run."
I bolted without looking back.
Episode hadn't even starteddidn't wanna die yet.
Legs, don't fail me now.