Episode 682

While Lee Han was preparing to summon Perkuntra behind the scenes, Yukveltire belatedly sensed something was wrong.

“The forty-fourth magic circle’s angle is off. Who touched it?”

“……”

“……”

None of the wizards said a word, as if they’d swallowed honey, so Yukveltire stared coldly at them.

The artifact prepared this time was so complex that even moving it after its completion required meticulous care.

Knowing this, Yukveltire had planned to reassemble the artifact once more before the presentation to eliminate any possible variables, after transporting it herself.

Naturally, some wizards from the gathering helped with that process.

But now, at the last moment, they found a slight deviation in one of the magic circles.

“I-I’m sorry. It looks like it was my mistake!”

One wizard confessed with a pale face.

“Hey! How could a wizard like you make such a mistake…!”

“Ah, I was just so surprised by Gawon’s spell earlier that I lost focus…”

“And you say that with a straight face!”

“It might sound like an excuse, but I compressed all the magical power into the shadow sand just as required for the spell.”

“Is that true? Well, that’s incredible.”

Even the colleagues who were about to scold the wizard for his huge blunder murmured with astonishment.

Who would’ve thought Gawon could show such magic!

“We’re so sorry, Lady Yukveltire.”

“It’s fine. It isn’t your fault.”

“Your Highness…!”

The wizards were lightly moved to see the princess covering for their mistake.

“This is my mistake for entrusting such idiots with the task.”

“……”

The wizards froze with stone-cold faces after the sharp Einrogard-style rebuke.

Without concern, Yukveltire went straight to work.

Kang!

With a sharp sound, eight golden needles struck into the border of the elliptical dimensional gate. With a brief, condensed chant, she cast -Isolation of Bachwantalana-.

Crack!!

With a sound like space being crushed, the dimensional gate was immediately sealed.

A powerful enchantment spell had interfered even with space itself.

“Incredible…!”

Even the wizard who’d just been insulted forgot the humiliation, so perfect was the response.

Most advanced enchanters focused on artifact crafting or body enhancement, but Yukveltire demonstrated a new level by freely using enchantment magic beyond those conventions.

With this, even if a rift formed, the gate would close.

But magic always manages to defy the magician’s expectations.

Crack—

A sound of splitting came from the isolated space, and then massive energy began to pour from the dimensional gate.

Realizing they’d connected to one of the more dangerous random dimensions, the wizards could feel cold sweat running down their backs.

‘At this level…’

‘A demon! And a duke-level one at that!’

While the wizards’ bodies were frozen with terror, Yukveltire began casting the next spell.

The eight golden needles lit up and fully combusted. Then she cast -Suppression of Bachwantalana-.

A spell with deadly damage surged like a torrent, fiercely striking the being beyond the dimensional gate. The edge was so sharp that the wizards thought for a moment it might have been stopped.

But the voice from beyond the gate plunged the wizards into despair again.

Ah—what a remarkable—human magician—no?

‘It didn’t do any damage!’

With both of Bachwantalana’s secret spells nullified, even Yukveltire’s eyes wavered.

This was practically the worst scenario possible.

Connected to a threatening dimension, an unencumbered gate, and a demon duke trying to cross over!

But—a pity—no matter how smart—you are—what decides the world—is power—!

Though the demon’s voice was cultured and dignified, no wizard was taken in.

Nice to meet you—Archduke of Pride—call me Garisaima—!

Yukveltire burned with frosty resolve.

No matter how powerful a demon duke willing to reveal his name, an Einrogard student would never back down.

Especially not one moving up to fifth year!

“Bachwan…”

Nice to meet you, Garisaima! Get lost now!

-!

“!!!”

Bang!!!!!

An immense spirit’s might tore through the archduke of pride like a thunderstorm.

The wizards on stage looked up in astonishment at the new enormous being that appeared before the audience.

---

Lee Han had summoned Perkuntra just in case, but on seeing the magic Yukveltire cast, he hesitated.

‘…Did I call him for nothing?’

It seemed it might be solved with her spell, and Perkuntra would really be angry then.

Last time, after all, he’d grumbled about being called over trivial matters.

Surely, this was a real crisis?

Just then, as Perkuntra fully passed through the contract’s gate, he spoke in thunderous tones that made Lee Han feel guilty.

“I’m sor—”

Archduke of Pride! Which crazy wizard summoned the archduke of pride?!

“Huh?”

Isn’t that the aura of the archduke of pride! Who tries to bring over such a demon without restrictions!

“It wasn’t on purpose, it was an accident. Perkuntra! You can’t stop it with that spell?”

Accident! You short-lived wizards always cause accidents. That spell’s not enough. However precise, it lacks strength!

Even as he finished speaking, the demon archduke shredded the spell and crossed through the gate.

The opponent was a demon in a mishmash of hats, helmets, shirts, dresses, pants, and skirts, all with no consistency.

If not for the menacing aura, Lee Han would have thought some crazed wizard was making her debut at a social event.

Behold!

“Perkuntra! Please help! We have to stop him!”

Only one way.

“What is it?”

Nice to meet you, Garisaima! Get lost now!

Perkuntra launched a preemptive strike.

It was an attack strong enough to tear apart even the mightiest beings, and Lee Han blurted out, flustered.

“Is it okay to attack first with no negotiation? What if he gets furious?”

Any demon archduke who manages to cross over is impossible to negotiate with unless you make them desperate! They’re smart, so it’s better to turn the tables and negotiate from a position of strength!

Oh—delightful—Thunder King—

The ripped up archduke of pride instantly regenerated his body.

Without answering, Perkuntra borrowed Lee Han’s power and blasted it strongly once more.

Thunder and lightning shook the assembly hall.

Take it easy—Thunder King—you probably can’t keep this up—right?

Even after two massive blows, Garisaima didn’t panic but just smiled.

He had crossed the dimensional gate without any penalty.

By contrast, his opponent had been forcibly summoned by the magician’s power.

The advantage was overwhelming; there was no need to resist or exert himself.

The urgent attacks were probably because the time left was short.

How many times do you have left—one or two?

Fine! Experience it for yourself!

Perkuntra was no pushover.

Realizing the archduke of pride was underestimating him, he let out a hearty laugh and drew up Lee Han’s magic again.

Lee Han gazed at Perkuntra with some exasperation.

‘Isn’t that a bit wasteful?’

He had plenty of mana, but this seemed like an extravagant use.

Once, twice, three times.

The archduke had shrugged off the first two, but faltered and stiffened after the third.

Wahahahaha! Die!

A lightning bolt as thick as a pillar whipped forth and scorched the archduke of pride.

After being struck a fourth and fifth time, he dropped his humorous manner.

The magician—used a trick…!

To think he was supplementing his mana so subtly even the archduke himself didn’t notice.

Whether it was with an artifact or another spell, it was praiseworthy.

Magician—your soul will receive special treatment—!

Pop!

Suddenly, the archduke of pride initiated his counterattack.

Realizing that exhausting Perkuntra’s power wouldn’t work, the best next move was to attack the magician directly.

Perkuntra summoned a massive cloud in the ceiling and drove a thunderstorm while wrapping Lee Han’s body in protection.

He’s coming for you. Be careful!

“Yes!”

Casting various spells to prepare, Lee Han debated what else he might use.

But Perkuntra shook his head.

What do you think you’ll manage with those? I’ll protect you myself!

“What do you—”

Perkuntra dwelled within Lee Han and initiated synchronization.

Boom!

An embodied lightning force flooded from Lee Han’s entire body, engulfing the surroundings.

A sense of omnipotence over the element of lightning sent Lee Han shivering.

He felt as though he were the sovereign of all the lightning elements in this space.

‘What is this…!’

Lee Han moved his finger and summoned a lightning strike from the sky.

The bolts chained together into a colossal whip slamming into the archduke of pride.

The archduke drew a black-red sword to block and grumbled.

Magician—if you merge with a grand spirit, you’ll burn to death—you’d be better off offering your soul to this archduke of pride—no?

—Ignore that nonsense!

Perkuntra’s voice rang out firmly from within.

Naturally, merging with a spirit to borrow their power was indeed dangerous.

Spirits, unlike living beings like wizards, have no sense of what turns a wizard into a husk from overusing mana.

With grand spirits, the danger was even greater—fusing for just a few seconds could completely drain a magician and kill them.

But Perkuntra wasn’t worried.

It wasn’t a story that applied to this young magician at all!

—Are you sure you’re okay? I was about to try handling this with my own magic…

—What are you saying? Your magic is just child’s play!

Perkuntra snorted at his words.

He figured it was time to show this young magician what true magic was.

—Watch!

With a shout, Perkuntra borrowed Lee Han’s body to gather lightning at his fingertips.

Lee Han recognized the spell immediately.

Because it was -Perkuntra’s Lesser Lightning-.

But the result was on another level. The incandescent lightning was more violent and vicious than any Lee Han had ever wielded.

After being pummeled by Professor Voladi and learning the theory of element transformation, Lee Han realized instinctively.

‘Element enhancement!’

Just as he once made water magic far more destructive by spinning it, here he compressed and refined the lightning element to create an even higher-order element.

Crack!

The incandescent lightning shot forth.

Perkuntra waved his staff, casting lightning in rapid succession.

Despite being a simple gather-and-release spell, the destructive power was beyond imagination. The archduke’s summoned shields shattered instantly.

—If you’re going to use lightning, this is the minimum! Understood?!

—Look out! In front of you!

Seeing the archduke charging, Perkuntra lifted a hand, summoning a thunder spear and lightning cloak.

As with the earlier lesser lightning spell, the force behind these spells was on another plane from Lee Han’s.

Even in this frantic situation, Lee Han tried to grasp every bit of the knowledge about lightning element manipulation flooding into his mind.

‘The mana should be the same. How can it be so much…!’

The archduke dodged the thunder spear and quickly moved behind Lee Han. Perkuntra snorted and released the lightning cloak.

The archduke made a sound of annoyance and retreated. The burning air around them was almost terrifying.

Thunder King—really—must hate—that magician—are you trying to kill him—?

—Heh.

—What do you mean, “heh”! I’m only doing this because your mana can withstand it!

Perkuntra hastily explained in response to Lee Han’s reaction.