Episode 476

Episode 476

Professor Verdus looked at him pitifully.

“Can’t you even breathe? Baby?”

“Gasp, huff. Shut up!”

Kettle snapped at Professor Verdus and tried to catch his breath.

He never thought he’d suffer shortness of breath like a new freshman just entering Einrogard.

It was a shameful thing, but Kettle also had something to say.

‘Anyone would have had trouble breathing after seeing what just happened.’

A first-year student getting spirit army training from the skull principal and fighting a war in the deep punishment room?

…Even if anything was possible at Einrogard, this was too much.

“Aren’t you even surprised, Professor!? First-year! A first-year Ironhead made it here!”

“I’m not surprised. Didn’t I say I was coming to save you?”

“…!”

Only then did Kettle realize that the first-year had recognized Professor Verdus and called out for him.

He had been so shocked that he erased the previous scene from his mind.

“I told you. I’d be coming.”

Professor Verdus spoke as if it was as obvious as the sun rising and the moon setting.

Seeing that, Kettle stood blankly for a moment, then came to his senses and thought.

‘So that’s it.’

He finally understood.

That freshman…

‘…is being tricked!’

He didn’t know exactly how Professor Verdus was deceiving the student, but Kettle made a decision.

Maybe it was fate Kettle ended up stuck in this cell even after graduation.

It was to prevent a freshman with great magical talent from getting their life tangled up because of Professor Verdus’ trickery!

‘I’ll definitely stop it…!’

Kettle grit his teeth.

If the freshman ever came back to the cell, he was determined to persuade them somehow.

There was no need to save Professor Verdus.

You’re being tricked right now!

This was a sacred duty he had to fulfill as a graduate.

• * *

Come at me! Kheuhahahah! I said, come at me more!

Perhaps because her resentment had built up from working under the skull principal for so long, Perkuntra taunted the fleeing spirits.

Then, one of the spirit attendants Perkuntra had summoned, while swinging a refined bolt of lightning, suddenly paused and looked back.

Then it charged forward and swung again—then stopped again and looked back.

“?”

?

Both Lee Han and Perkuntra were puzzled.

“What is it doing?”

Why is it doing that?

■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■.

……

Perkuntra suddenly quieted, as if she’d swallowed honey.

Lee Han grew curious and asked.

“What did it say to you?”

…It said that winning by borrowing the contractor’s mana and then being so pompous is unworthy of a monarch…

“……”

Perkuntra seemed so embarrassed that Lee Han decided to help her instead.

After all, wasn’t it a spirit contracted to him?

“Isn’t that too harsh? It’s perfectly acceptable for a contracted being to borrow the mana of the mage they’re contracted to!”

Of course, even with him taking her side, Perkuntra’s sense of shame did not disappear. She resolved to stay calmer and not taunt her enemies so much anymore.

“Just tell that arrogant spirit to get lost, then!”

Enough… It’s my fault.

Having humbled slightly, Perkuntra declared calmly.

By now, you should know. Even if you built your nest here first, you’re in a situation where you can’t win! My mana is infinite…

■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■.

‘It’s not mine, but my contractor’s?’

Lee Han felt as if he’d learned a little bit of Spirit Tongue for some reason.

…My contractor’s mana is infinite… Resisting from an advantageous terrain is pointless. Come out! No need to overwork the other subordinates anymore.

Suddenly, things went quiet.

At the end of the once turbulent passage of the punishment room, an intense power began to radiate.

At a glance, a being resembling a massive mass of water began to slowly appear.

Its unmoving form nevertheless contained a slow fluid motion radiating extraordinary power.

‘That must be the leader of this flood!’

Lee Han instinctively knew.

That spirit up ahead was the being behind this flood.

So, you’re here.

Perkuntra gazed ahead coldly and spoke.

Satisfied? The world is all flooded. This much rain should be enough.

Not at all…! The spirits who called me want even more!

The opposing spirit answered in a slow, wet voice that resonated.

It was the resentment of the mages here… that summoned me! Can someone enslaved by a mage ever understand that rage?

…I was trying to show mercy, but how dare you!

Perkuntra became extremely enraged at the spirit’s words hitting her sore spot.

In an instant, her body swelled, and thunder started flashing across the clouds above the punishment room’s ceiling.

The opposing spirit was not about to be pushed around, either. It summoned a storm, pushed away Perkuntra’s clouds, and inundated the corridor floor with water.

Move aside. I’ll deal with this!

As if she didn’t need the help of the spirits she’d summoned, Perkuntra swept them aside.

The corridor of the punishment room expanded and expanded, stretching as if it could get no wider. It was as if the space itself was screaming.

Yet, compared to the fight that was about to begin, even this expanded space felt small.

Lightning and ocean collided beneath Einrogard.

Where does a no-name mongrel like you get off refusing my generous offer?

Did you think I’d fall for a trick… Slave of the Archmage!

“?”

While Lee Han was thinking, ‘What trick did Perkuntra pull? When did that happen?’ the spirit shouted.

Calling it a negotiation while hiding the archmage by your side… I might be the most insignificant of spirits, but I won’t be fooled by such tricks!

……

“……”

Perkuntra and Lee Han were both at a loss for words.

I mean…

I’m a student, you fool! Pitiable idiot who cannot see with eyes or hear with ears even though he has both!

“I’m a student!”

But even as they shouted, the other side wouldn’t listen.

Perkuntra was dumbfounded.

Her great fame was ignored because of the skull principal’s notoriety.

Actually, it wasn’t even the principal’s infamy.

The other spirit was just an idiot making a stupid mistake!

Shut up… It won’t work!

‘This is nuts.’

I am the tribune of sea and storm, and in my name and power, I shall call forth the tempest!

Calling forth a storm before the lord of thunder and lightning?

The two spirits clashed again.

The other spirit transformed its round form into that of a Herculean figure.

Mages… kept polluting the water, defiling the earth… Now you shall pay the price for that rage!

“……”

Lee Han found himself reflecting, even though it wasn’t his doing.

What the hell had the seniors been experimenting with at Einrogard to make the spirits this angry?

‘I mean, if chimeras and slimes are loose all over, there’s no way the seniors ever managed things properly.’

Perkuntra snorted, parried the enemy’s weapon, and struck it with lightning.

Pathetic tricks!

The enemy’s form rippled, and a powerful shockwave exploded outward. He could feel, even from a distance, how much damage had been dealt.

Perkuntra didn’t stop attacking.

The fight between transcendent beings from a different dimension, possessing overwhelming power, was nothing like a battle between mages. Perkuntra struck the wall nearby, tore out some metal, entwined it with lightning, and forged a blazing Vajra.

With a flurry of blows, pieces of the spirit’s body were ripped away.

The battered spirit split and transformed, barely managing to escape.

“!”

Then it locked eyes with Lee Han.

“……”

At first, the spirit took a defensive stance, thinking he was the skull principal. But then, sensing that Lee Han looked different, it hesitated.

…Uh…

“I’m a student.”

Lee Han answered firmly.

No… A trick…

“I’m not an undead.”

Die!

Boom!

Perkuntra smashed the confused spirit straight into the wall.

A cell crashed with a mighty crack, and the spirit was embedded deep inside.

“Wait! I was in the middle of persuading it!”

What? Persuade what. Just force a reverse summoning!

“It’s already seriously injured, so I can resolve this with words.”

I’m the one who got injured!

Being called the skull principal’s slave wounded Perkuntra far more deeply than any attack.

Perkuntra grumbled and crackled with annoyance, but didn’t launch any more attacks and paused.

…My apologies for having ignored your offer.

The battered spirit emerged and apologized.

At last, it had come to its senses and accepted that they weren’t the skull principal.

Lee Han responded in kind.

“We were a bit harsh ourselves.”

What do you mean!

Perkuntra started to have a fit, but Lee Han ignored her and continued.

“If you don’t mind, why don’t you end this spirit flood and return now? Of course, I understand the spirits’ anger, but the longer the flood lasts, the more reckless means the mages will use. It’s best to end it around here…”

The opposing spirit silently nodded.

Once defeated, the defeated have no right to say anything. I am only grateful for your mercy.

Lee Han breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed to have ended well enough.

No need to sacrifice Gainando, nor forcefully reverse summon the enraged spirits because of the Einrogard students.

Granted, the principal’s punishment room got a bit destroyed, but…

‘Well, that wasn’t my doing. Nothing I could’ve done about it.’

May I ask the mage’s name?

The spirit asked with respect.

Even the roughest, angriest of spirits couldn’t help but feel grateful in this situation.

To restrain himself and act as arbiter even when he could have gone all the way!

“Lee Han.”

Lee Han… Lee Han. I’ll be sure to remember that name. Do you have any water-related spirits among your contracted spirits?

“…No.”

Lee Han felt a bit sour about it.

Were they making fun of him?

‘They just run away at the sight of me…’

Do you not like water spirits?

“…No, it’s just, every time a spirit sees me, they run off.”

Ah.

The spirit understood instantly.

Except for powerful existences like Perkuntra or itself, brimming with exploits and great feats, such mana pressure would be an unbearable aura for weak spirits.

“……”

……

……

As the mood grew awkward, Perkuntra glared at the spirit.

What an oblivious fool…

Sensing this, the spirit quickly changed the subject.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to give you a gift.

“Oh. Anything would be great.”

Lee Han cast an expectant gaze.

Powers from spirits were always valuable gifts.

And considering how powerful this spirit was, able to cause such a flood…

What would be good… For a mage, especially one still young, how about the power to freely change the shape of water?

“…I’m fine.”

Lee Han declined.

He could already do that!

If you were going to give it, you should’ve done it before Professor Voladi hit me…

I-I see? Then, perhaps the power to turn water into steam…

“I can do that too…”

……

The spirit was visibly embarrassed.

After a few moments of hesitation, the spirit finally seemed to come up with a good idea and spoke again.

Paaat—

A new spirit sigil was inscribed on the back of Lee Han’s hand. The spirit spoke in a friendly voice.

My true name is Wupinum. Wupinum. I’ll never forget the mercy the mage has shown today.

“Wait, at least tell me what your power actually does b—”

Before Lee Han could finish, Wupinum seemed satisfied with himself, and reverse-summoned in a flash.

Lee Han suspected, just a little bit, that the spirit might have been eager to run away in case their gift overlapped with another’s.

• * *

“Professor? Professor, are you there?”

As Lee Han returned, Verdus called out as if he’d been waiting.

“Hurry up and open it!”

“Yes. Please wait a moment.”

“Wait!!”

Kettle shouted loudly.

“Wait, you’re being tricked!”

“…What?”

“I’m telling you, you’re being tricked by Professor Verdus! He’s not the kind of person worth going out of your way to rescue! You’re being deceived!”

“……”

Lee Han was at a loss for words.

Because…

‘It’s my fault he’s locked up…’

“I know you’ve got incredibly great magical talent, probably hard for even you to believe. And I know you’re probably even kinder than you believe. But get a grip! You’re being tricked right now!”

“I am not being tricked!”

Professor Verdus protested as if wondering what nonsense this was.

Lee Han and the professor were a respectful student and teacher to each other.

To say it like that…

“What will you do for him if he lets you out?!”

“What?”

“What’ll you do for this freshman if he lets you out?!”

“An opportunity to work in my workshop?”

“…You jerk!”