Episode 816

Unfortunately, Direte didn’t realize that her evaluation had just dropped slightly in her junior’s mind.

She was too focused on summoning and controlling the toad demon.

-Guruk! Mage! Can hold only three!

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I’ll keep the promise. Only one’s going in anyway.”

-Guruluk! Mage has honor! I believe!

‘Must’ve summoned this one often…’

While Lee Han was thinking idle thoughts, Yukveltire spoke up.

“Let’s begin.”

“Yes.”

Lee Han took a deep breath and cast reinforcement magic.

-Gonadaltes’s Quickening Agility- and -Baegrek’s Instant Foresight-.

Both spells gave significant advantages for close-range magical combat.

“Can you do dark vision too?”

“Yes.”

Direte asked, and Lee Han cast -Gonadaltes’s Dark Vision- as well.

Interested, Yukveltire asked another question.

“Can you do invisibility too?”

“Yes.”

When Lee Han even cast -Gonadaltes’s Cloak of Invisibility-, Yukveltire nodded slightly and observed him with care.

Normally, due to mana and focus limitations, a mage can’t just cast spells infinitely. Even if possible, stacking spells is nearly impossible.

Each spell layered influences the next, causing interference and resource drain.

Thus, to layer multiple spells like this required extraordinary and sensitive skill, plus a huge pool of unflinching, pure mana unconcerned with the waste from clashes.

Yukveltire already knew his junior’s mana was the purest and richest he’d ever seen, but every time he saw Lee Han put it to use, he was newly surprised.

“Ready.”

“Can you do fire resistance too?”

“……”

Lee Han shot a glare at his senior and cast -Lesser Fire Resistance-.

If Direte had noticed, she might have stopped him—but she was too busy negotiating with the toad demon.

-Guruk! You said join the fight, but that’s not the contract!

-So in exchange for the sacrificed heifers and this time five bull’s heads…

-Guruluk! I don’t want to fight! Mage battles hurt!

-No need to attack. Just protect.

-Guruk! Which mages must I protect?

-Just my junior over there. No need to help those two.

“And -Lesser Cold Resistance-…”

“No.”

At yet another request, Lee Han flatly refused.

Frankly, after looking over the White Tiger Tower students, he didn’t think fire resistance was even necessary.

“Why not?”

“Look at the seniors over there. Almost all their mana has a wind affinity. We won’t need either cold or fire resistance.”

His answer, based on innate magical sense, was logical and sensible. Yukveltire was disappointed but had to agree.

At last, Direte finished her contract negotiations with the toad demon and approached.

“Sorry, it took a while. All set? No cold resistance buff?”

Direte asked absentmindedly, and Yukveltire tried to explain for Lee Han.

“They’re almost all win—”

“Yes, I’ll apply it now, senior.”

Without another word, Lee Han cast -Lesser Cold Resistance-.

This made Yukveltire stare at his now-invisible junior.

“…That last action wasn’t very logical…”

“Let’s go, senior! Let’s get this over with!”

Again, Yukveltire’s fingertips trembled with an unfamiliar emotion.

He didn’t realize it yet, but that emotion’s name was “anger.”

‘So if you want respect, just try treating people better…’

Direte watched in pity, muttering inwardly.

For ordinary mages, Yukveltire was impervious to their words, but when it came from someone he recognized, he was surprisingly vulnerable.

Direte herself had just let it go out of pity, but Lee Han—after dealing with all sorts of evil foes in Einrogard—was sharp and immediate in his retorts when faced with nonsense.

“Yukveltire, if you’re going to be that mad, just—”

“What are you talking about? I’m not the slightest bit angry. Emotions like anger can’t affect me.”

“…Say that while not gripping your staff so hard.”

• * *

Pop!

“It’s an ambush!!”

As the corridor turned pitch-black, Ivanna’s group reacted instantly.

Any third-year in Einrogard knew these phenomena didn’t happen for no reason.

“Guard the barrel!”

The White Tiger Tower students already had defensive spells prepared.

Some even had echolocation-enhanced senses, catching echoes and reboundings of sound.

“Above the stairs! Above!”

“Wall, block the way!”

“Guard the barrel and get out of here!”

‘Impressive. These seniors are on another level compared to Baldrogard.’

The moment the ambush began, their coordinated, efficient response made Lee Han honestly impressed.

Like a well-oiled machine, they moved rapidly, wasting no time—no wonder White Tiger Tower’s students had such a notorious reputation in both commissions and melees, even if their research or grades were weaker.

People often mocked the Reinforcement Magic School as simple, lacking creativity, a mere offshoot of the Enchantment School—but…

Rarely did any school match them for efficiency in real fights.

‘Enhancing hearing to pick up sonic attacks… That counters illusion magic, which mostly affects sight.’

They swiftly analyzed and executed their roles—like a perfectly synchronized gearwork.

Those in the rear pulled bricks from the corridor to make cover, then drew swords and launched a counter-charge with roars.

By forming cover, they bought time for allies—a classic delaying move.

“Go.”

But the two fifth-year seniors didn’t panic. As Blue Dragon Tower and Black Turtle Tower students, they were used to fighting White Tiger Tower.

Screeeee—

Longswords materialized from the air, emitting a voice like a siren as they flew.

They did nothing to Lee Han, but the White Tiger Tower students groaned in pain upon hearing the sound.

“Ugh!”

“Augh!”

Their reinforcement spells kept them from being taken down outright, but this direct counter to their hearing shook them badly.

“Fall back!”

The White Tiger Tower students abandoned their charge, ducked behind cover, and raised shields.

They meant to defend until they could break the illusion spells.

Yukveltire next pulled out an artifact. At the rainbow flash of a glass mirror, the corridor erupted with a massive explosion.

“……”

The opposition was impressive, but their side’s prowess and preparation were plainly overwhelming.

With a well-stocked enchanter and essentially endless mana, it was like fighting a mage with infinite power.

“Damn! It’s Mini-Verdus Senior!”

“Why does it have to be a fifth-year?!”

‘Mini-Verdus?’

Seeing the corridor and all its cover simply crushed by firepower, the White Tiger Tower students seemed to recognize who they were up against. Instead of counterattacking, they focused on escape.

“Direte.”

“Got it.”

On standby, Direte waved her staff, chanting.

A massive curse surged like a flood, rushing in from the far end of the corridor.

It was so shaped and physicalized that the White Tiger Tower students panicked, unable to imagine what horror the curse held.

“What the…?!”

Lee Han would’ve just powered through, but the White Tiger Tower kids were too sane to fling themselves into unknown magical filth.

“All right. Hand over the barrel.”

“Grr…!”

“Direte. Maybe just take them down and—”

“Shut up.”

Direte, feeling a pang of conscience about stealing the duke from juniors, didn’t want to use excessive force.

“Senior! Enemies coming from behind!”

“Huh?”

“?!”

Both seniors were surprised by Lee Han’s shout—no threats had registered in their senses yet.

But knowing Lee Han’s skill, Direte responded faster than her friend.

“Which way?”

“Corridor side.”

“How many?”

“One, but the mana is unusual—”

Before he finished, a figure appeared around the corridor’s far bend.

Seeing a sharply dressed cat beastkin student, Direte and Lee Han both sighed together.

The last person they wanted to see in a situation like this.

“Oh! Junior?”

Catten of House Jahan called out cheerfully, and Lee Han was startled.

The whole area was shrouded in darkness…

…and Lee Han was still invisible.

‘How?!’

-Don’t answer.

Direte sent via telepathy.

-The other party isn’t sure—just fishing to see.

“……”

Lee Han shivered.

‘As expected—every fifth-year here has no conscience!’

At this level, they were basically professors.

To try to trick a junior so innocently, with that cute feline face…

But Direte was right. Even with sharp senses, in this scenario, it was nearly impossible for Catten to be certain.

He was probably probing to be sure.

“Jahan. You don’t even have a use for a sponsor. Stay back.”

“That voice—is that Direte? Envious, huh, dimming the hall so well.”

“…Even a second-year can manage that…”

“All I can do’s wave a sword. Hmm. But this time will be different. Ellendil promised to fully support me with potions for study if I bring the duke.”

“……”

“……”

Lee Han and Direte simultaneously cursed Ellendil for such underhandedness.

-Got the duke. Let’s move.

Yukveltire quietly shoved the barrel into the toad demon’s mouth, then sent a telepathic message. The two nodded.

At that moment, Catten moved.

A master swordsman’s instincts are so sharp that even with little information, pure oddity draws movement.

“Block him!”

Just in case, undead summons and artifacts arranged nearby charged at Catten from behind.

Catten gripped his sword at an odd angle, then stamped his boots repeatedly on the floor.

Lee Han didn’t know at first what he was doing—but then his eyes widened.

‘S-space magic!!!’

“Haaa!”

With a shout, Catten slashed his sword, rupturing space itself and blinking forward.

A short-distance spatial movement spell mixed with sword technique—one Lee Han couldn’t yet use alone!

‘Is he insane?!’

Lee Han couldn’t help but swear.

Why bother learning magic if you can do that?

He felt a sense of loss like watching his second brother Arsil.

Direte must’ve felt the same; a curse burst from her lips.

“Crazy!”

“I’ll handle him! You two retreat!”

Invisible in the darkness, Lee Han hurried forward to intercept. Catten wisely slowed.

No getting past before figuring out the foe.

Clang clang clang!

“Wall Rock Sword? You’re Wardanaz family’s junior?”

“…Wrong. I’m from House Moradi!”

“Hm? Moradi House wouldn’t—ah. A feint. Junior, that’s clever.”

Catten took two steps back, channeled mana through his whole body, sharpening his senses.

Since his opponent had the advantage, he’d take a moment to adapt.

“But, junior, whatever you’re doing here—you’re making one mistake. What senior would ever abandon a junior to save their own skin?”

“Haha, Catten senior, you clearly don’t know! Yukveltire senior would abandon me any time if it meant saving himself!”

“……”

Yukveltire, about to step up and support Lee Han, suddenly paused.