Episode 995

Before the other side could even finish speaking, the mad clone was already pushing his disciple to the side.

Dueling, in which you wait for the other to finish speaking and then exchange moves with honor and fairness, existed only in stories.

Real wizards’ duels always began with ambush and deception.

“S—”

The mad clone, trying to start by chanting the spell, felt a sense of unease.

Because the mad clone and the skull headmaster shared the same roots, they could somewhat predict each other’s thoughts.

If he was about to strike first, there was no way the skull headmaster wasn’t also preparing to strike first.

…No way?

Too late. Baegrek!

At the skull headmaster’s thunderous command, Professor Voladi emerged behind the clone.

In his hand was a sword. Its transparent blade, reminiscent of glass, radiated an unnatural energy that proved it was not something of this world’s substance.

A sharp, rending sound burst forth. Before the mad clone could even react, Professor Voladi thrust the sword with lightning speed.

Targeting the vital spots—neck, heart, lungs—in succession, Professor Voladi did not stop.

Even when you gained the upper hand, a single mistake could overturn the battle. Such was the strength of the opponent.

Professor Voladi intended to borrow the power of the Small World currently cast to definitively immobilize his foe.

The sword the skull headmaster provided was a magic sword, a concept from another dimension condensed into the form of a weapon.

It was a suitable weapon for neutralizing a thought-form that couldn’t be felled with ordinary physical damage, but no matter how sharp the blade, if the wielder lacked skill, it would be no better than paper.

While gauging his remaining attempts, Professor Voladi heard the cry of his disciple.

“Professor! Please wait a moment!”

Professor Voladi instantly halted his attack.

The mad clone immediately regained his power. The surrounding space warped in a bizarre manner, driving out the ambusher.

Realizing the ambush had failed, Professor Voladi dropped all attachment and coolly leapt through dimensions to retreat.

…Are you really my disciple??!!!?

The skull headmaster, dumbfounded, looked at Professor Voladi beside him and spoke with anger.

Even for a skull headmaster who would address professors by title (except Professor Verdus), this was so absurd that he forgot that custom.

How could his own disciple stop an attack just because the enemy asked for it?

“I’m sorry.”

You think sorry is enough, Baegrek!? You really Baegrek?!

He hadn’t brought Professor Garcia out of fear of him being too timid, but to think the trusted Baegrek would make such a blunder.

“…You prepared quite thoroughly.”

The mad clone spoke as if spitting.

Had his disciple not called out, he would have been sealed away right there—a razor-sharp attack.

“That sword is…”

A sword refined by concept, striking directly at your existence. Consider it an honor. Just casting that sword once cost an entire year’s budget of the territory.

Even though he’d escaped the opponent’s trump card, the mad clone’s expression remained grim.

The skull headmaster’s attitude exuded absolute confidence.

That meant he was so well-prepared that, even if what he’d just tried failed, it didn’t matter.

-They really are monsters at another level.

The hamster, utterly overwhelmed, squeaked.

Thanks to the lingering effects of the wine, Lee Han used his explosively heightened wisdom to quickly analyze the events.

First, Professor Voladi’s ambush utilized dimensional spatial magic, not ordinary stealth magic.

Even in a place full of archmages (one was a hamster, but still), stealth magic alone couldn’t have fooled them all.

They must have set coordinates in advance, kept the professor waiting in a different dimension, then sent a signal to unleash the ambush.

But while he could guess the general idea, Lee Han had no idea how it could actually be implemented.

‘Other dimensions aren’t usually so handy as portals for spatial travel. Could there really be dimensions you can use so conveniently?’

At least he could imagine the ambush method, but making a sword weaponized with “concept” was beyond his ken.

To think of extracting a concept to make a sword.

“You seem not to have heeded the warning of the royal family. Are you sure you won’t regret it if your territory is destroyed?”

The mad clone spoke as he summoned his magic.

Originally resolved to end his own life if needed, but that was only meaningful if he chose it himself.

Moreover, being sealed by some shallow clone was out of the question.

No matter if his disciple was in the tower, the mad clone would not break his word.

The duel had begun the moment the skull headmaster breached non-aggression and approached.

And that duel would destroy everything nearby.

Even if I don’t say it, you’re surely aware.

“……”

The skull headmaster’s words chilled more than any threat.

The mad clone realized intuitively.

The skull headmaster, being alike, would never have come so recklessly without a plan.

Look outside.

Along with his words, all the rubble cleared and the cave vanished. The wide view of the mountain range and Einrogard below came into view.

And the strange veil of dreams covering it.

“Did you project a Personal World over the entire territory?”

Correct.

The skull headmaster answered calmly.

There was no need to explain just how much preparation and cost such great magic required.

Seeing the veil that could revert any damage to dreams, the mad clone nodded.

“Impressive. This is a magic even the royal family doesn’t know.”

Of course. You’ve been confined.

Behind the skull headmaster, geometric circles resembling mandalas began to form.

The mad clone, as if to match, summoned crown and staff. The staff’s head bore a rooster, its tip a serpent, and the shaft was carved with a warrior.

O thing that is unwelcome in all times and places… I cannot claim not to pity you, for you are my own karma. So I’ve shown more mercy than needed.

“You talk nonsense. Next you’ll claim that ants not offending the sun is mercy.”

But you crossed the line. You dared to kidnap the lord’s disciple in his own domain.

With those words, the skull headmaster began to unleash his magic.

At that very instant, Lee Han shouted,

“Please wait a moment, Headmaster!”

What is it, Bat-naz.

“…Excuse me?”

Traitor, are you siding with them? All these professors and all this gold are struggling for your sake, and you’re switching sides?

The abrupt accusation left Lee Han speechless.

What on earth…

“What do you mean, ‘switching sides’? Wasn’t it your absence as headmaster that caused all this in the first place!”

I told you. I needed time to prepare to seal him. Then you, of all people, should have lured the enemy into carelessness and struck from behind, not stupidly fall for it and join his side. Hmph. Very disappointing.

As if tired of his pesky bat disciple’s interference, the skull headmaster waved his hand.

Even the mad clone seemed not to want to hear his disciple’s words. The two archmages worked in unison and banished all outsiders far to the edge via teleportation.

Wheel of Law!

“Be liberated, Abraxas!”

—It’s the end of the world! We’ve got to get even farther away!

The hamster squeaked, recognizing the two archmages were about to clash with Personal Worlds.

But Lee Han shook his head.

“No. I’ll persuade them!”

—…What the hell did you drink to go crazy like this! Get a grip! You’re going to walk into colliding worlds—urk.

The hamster groaned under the pressure from above.

Professor Voladi motioned the hamster to be quiet. The hamster despaired at the addition of yet another mad wizard.

“Can you really persuade them?”

“…I’m not certain, but I’ll try.”

“That clone could become dangerous at any time. You do understand that?”

“Yes!”

“Alright. Send me the signal.”

Professor Voladi nodded as if to say that was enough.

The reason the skull headmaster intended not just to reverse summon, but to seal, was because of that very danger.

If merely reverse summoned, the same disaster could happen again—the goal was to seal where neither summoning nor reverse summoning would be possible.

But the disciple, knowing the risk, still set out to persuade the headmaster.

As a teacher, all he could do was trust and support.

“…Thank you, Professor.”

Lee Han gave sincere thanks.

It couldn’t have been easy for Professor Voladi either.

The skull headmaster was his superior and teacher, and he’d just disobeyed a command already.

And it didn’t seem like Lee Han had a high chance of succeeding here.

Yet, because Lee Han was his disciple, he would trust and support him.

Such was the deep faith of mentor and student. Lee Han felt proud to be Professor Voladi’s disciple.

After bowing to his professor, Lee Han also thanked the hamster.

“Thank you, Hamster.”

-…Why me… You, you?! Don’t tell me you’re taking me with you!?

The hamster realized Lee Han’s intent and shivered.

This lunatic was bringing him straight into the storm of clashing worlds!

“I need a wizard to advise me. The effects of the wine are fading, too.”

—There are other wizards nearby! Are you dragging me along just because it’s dangerous?

Lee Han quieted the squeaking hamster and focused on the duel.

He couldn’t miss a moment—he’d have to step in and persuade the skull headmaster as soon as possible.

The mad clone’s staff was itself a Personal World. Every swing opened a new sky, with countless angels appearing below.

But for the skull headmaster, no matter how special the Personal World, it was just a high spell learned long ago from dragons. Of course, he was prepared to counter it.

As the Wheel of Law turned, the angels were simply erased. The skull headmaster declared,

With Abraxas broken, you can’t use Gnosis either. What next? Hurry up. I want this finished before end of day. Unlike you, I have paperwork piled up like mountains.

They were both archmages, but one knew all the other’s magic and the other knew none of theirs.

Not to mention, one fully wielded the rights of domain as the lord.

The mad clone’s struggle could only buy time, nothing more.

The mountains turned to lakes, the veil of dreams over Einrogard stretched to its limit, about to tear—it became clear who was winning.

Thump!

The mad clone dropped to one knee. He said nothing, but his pallor made it clear the match was decided.

Professor Voladi, get ready below for the sealing. They must have waited plenty down there. …Professor Voladi. Professor Voladi. Baegrek, what are you doing?

To permanently confine something at the mad clone’s level took vast preparations, and magicians suited for it were on standby below. The headmaster had contracted them at great cost.

When Professor Voladi, who was in charge of signaling, didn’t reply, the skull headmaster called out in annoyance.

Bat-naz. If you keep acting like a spy…

About to glare at Lee Han, who stood suspiciously beside Professor Voladi, the skull headmaster finally sensed something was wrong.

It was a fake!

‘Small World!’

Amazingly, the disciple had perfectly mastered the Small World Basilios.

The skull headmaster, utterly caught off guard that Lee Han had perfected his Small World, was taken aback.

Lee Han used the Small World to hide his presence and close the gap to his target.

By the time the skull headmaster realized, Lee Han had already moved right in front of the mad clone.

“Please wait a moment!”

—At least let me go. You two have your chat alone…

The hamster squeaked with a sorrowful whimper.