Yi-Han's choice was actually quite rational. At present, the corridor of this floor was in a state of realm chaos due to the mixing and rampage of numerous great magics, artifacts, and spirits. It was uncertain what malicious entities might seep in from the inside, deploying deceptions.
Of course, calling the professor without even a second of hesitation was a different matter altogether!
-You'll regret this, young mage. You will need power!-
"Wait... just a minute. Isn't it a waste? Shouldn't we at least hear what is being offered?"
Upon hearing Gainando's words, Raphael, too, unwittingly agreed.
The entity inside might offer some valuable gift.
'The magic academy is spoiling its students,' Yi-Han lamented. He thought that pushing the students so hard made them susceptible to such dubious propositions.
"Gainando. When someone unknown makes a plausible proposal, always start with suspicion."
"Cough. Well said."
Professor Mortum, who had hurried over, agreed with Yi-Han's words. It was unsafe to be enticed by offers when they did not know what entity lurked within.
"Depart, you insignificant ones!"
Kyyyaaaak!
At Professor Mortum's spell, the presence felt inside the corridor quickly dispersed.
Realizing too late, Gainando nodded, saying, "Indeed. I apologize, Professor. I will no longer show interest in such places."
"Cough. That's not correct."
"Pardon?"
"Places where different realms intermingle like this are invaluable for gaining knowledge, a site no mage can ignore."
Demons, spirits, and even other-realm beings of surreal nature, unknown by name.
These entities held knowledge unknown to mages.
Forgotten secrets, artifacts, spells, and treasures were too tempting for any mage to resist.
"Indeed, that's true."
"Cough. So, learn to explore safely. Take this chance and go on an expedition."
"…Me?"
Gainando doubted his ears.
Was he being asked to explore a place where frozen undead crawled, periodic pulses of extreme frost occurred, and where it seemed a demon's howl was just heard?
"Cough. You can learn a lot by observing that place."
Professor Mortum spoke with genuine good intention.
Sometimes, a single experience could be more impactful than hundreds of words.
Some parts of the corridor were composed of dark magic.
Witnessing it up close would allow the freshmen to deeply appreciate the wonders of dark magic.
'As expected, I was uneasy from the moment he brought us,' Yi-Han concluded.
With Professor Mortum's staff swinging and protective magic being cast, he finished preparing and spoke.
"Cough, cough. Split into two groups and take a walk around. Don't get lost."
Gainando quickly said, "I... I want to go with Yi-Han."
"I'll go with Ymirg."
Following Gainando and Raphael's words, Professor Mortum tossed a coin.
"Ymirg and Wardanaz, walk to the left. Cough. The two of you, start on the right."
"..."
Both Gainando and Raphael faced an unfortunate outcome. With crumpled faces, they set off.
"Shall we also start?"
"Yes, let's."
Fortunately, due to the magic cast by Professor Mortum, no enemies approached them. Yi-Han moved his steps slowly.
'One must never be complacent.'
If there was anything he learned from Professor Boladi, it was to never let down his guard at any moment.
Yi-Han surveyed his surroundings with all possible precautions.
Suddenly, on the frost-laden path, specters gathered, forming budding flowers. As the buds writhed about to bloom, the ground beneath began to stir.
"That..."
Before Ymirg could finish speaking, Yi-Han was already casting a spell.
Pop!
A heavy orb of water hammered the ground, followed by a downpour of lightning and a burst of flames.
The earth, which seemed on the verge of unleashing something, was now quiet.
Papapapapapak! Papapak!
Yet, Yi-Han did not stop, continually casting spells. The frozen ground blackened and caved in.
"Whoa... Wardanaz. Maybe whatever it was has already fled?"
Ymirg spoke hesitantly. To be honest, he was more afraid of Yi-Han than the entity that had just disappeared.
"That might be so."
"It's not just 'might be'; it seems to have definitely fled..."
Yi-Han cast lightning one last time, just to be safe.
"Seems like it's gone, right?"
"..."
"Ymirg. Maybe we should get closer. The effect of the protective magic the professor cast might weaken."
"Yes, y-yes."
"Why are you being so formal?"
"Ap-apologize."
"Direth. Thank you, really."
"Go die."
"...Direth. Thank you again, really."
"Just die already."
"I said I'm sorry..."
Coholti, a fourth-year student specializing in dark magic, apologized once more to Direth.
Coholti would have been angry too if he were Direth, dragged into this mess because of the major accident caused by Coholti and his friends.
"How long has it been since you left the punishment room and what is this..."
"I already got an earful from the professor."
Coholti was utterly disheartened, having been severely reprimanded by Professor Mortum.
As a fellow student of dark magic and a classmate, Direth could understand Coholti's feelings better than anyone.
"So what? Just go die."
But that was a separate matter. Being busy to death herself, she couldn't forgive being summoned here to clean up their mess.
"Get inside quickly and finish it off or die. Because of you, the academy is covered in snow."
"We'll... we'll go in soon."
The solution to the realm erosion and environmental changes caused by an incomplete summoning was surprisingly simple.
They just needed to enter the area and eliminate the summoned creature.
Despite all the mixed magic and phenomena, the core of the problem was the summoned entity.
Of course, it was easier said than done.
They had to break through the corridors swarming with monsters from other realms and take down the furious spirit inside.
It was a daunting task even for upperclassmen at the magic academy.
The guilty mages glanced at Direth, making excuses.
"We're slowly siphoning off the area's magic. The entity inside is getting weaker."
"If our calculations are correct, it'll soon be weak enough to enter."
What the mages were currently doing was creating holes in various parts of the corridor's area to leak out mana.
As the area's mana diminished, so would the power of the being active within it.
Once the work was done, the students could enter at a manageable level.
Direth asked with a slightly softened voice.
"How many hours will it take?"
"..."
"You're not telling me it'll take more than a day?"
"..."
"...How many days, you cursed fools. Speak up!"
"A... about a week?"
"Just go in and die! How much mana did you pour into the summoning for it to take a week!"
"Sorry! Direth! I'm sorry!"
Direth, cursing profusely, cast the <Curse of the Withering Realm> with her staff. The leakage work was not simply happening on its own. In the meantime, to prevent undead from emerging from the corridor, the upperclassmen, including Direth, had to keep watch. And for a whole week!
"Aaah! Direth! Please forgive me!"
"Di, Direth! Look over there! There!"
"What nonsense are they up to now..."
Direth turned her head. He saw the freshmen slowly walking inside the area.
"...Ah. Professor Mortum must have brought them."
Direth was momentarily overwhelmed by the surreal sight but quickly grasped the situation. It was evident that Professor Mortum had brought the freshmen to show them this extraordinary scene. It was, after all, a magnificent spectacle of dark magic.
"Should freshmen be wandering around in such a place?"
"Professor Mortum has cast protective magic. Most entities won't be able to approach."
"But they're just freshmen. Even if evil beings can't approach, they might panic and cause an accident..."
Before he could finish, one of the freshmen began frantically casting spells. A banshee, about to emerge from the flowering specters, was beaten back and hastily retreated underground, disappearing somewhere.
"..."
"Shouldn't we stop them? The freshmen might collapse!"
It was all too predictable. Loss of judgment due to fear, leading to a reckless casting of spells. It was an easy mistake for freshmen to make.
Right now, it might be okay, but the moment they deplete their mana...
"Just leave it. It's fine."
However, Direth was calm, knowing that Yi-Han had a substantial amount of mana.
"That Wardanaz family junior is naturally gifted with magic."
"Oh, I see."
Pop! Papapapapapapop!
"..."
"...Is it really okay?"
The upperclassmen looked at Yi-Han with a mix of astonishment and concern. No matter how innately gifted, it seemed like he should be collapsing soon.
Direth began to feel a bit anxious too. She knew Yi-Han had a lot of mana, but she wasn't sure just how much.
"We should stop him, I'm telling you!"
"Cursed be the skull-like principal...!"
Eventually, the anxiety spread to Direth too. She gripped her staff, ready to face the punishment room. As a senior, trained under the same master in dark magic, she couldn't just watch her junior collapse.
Pop!
But to the embarrassment of the seniors making a fuss, Yi-Han returned to normal as if nothing had happened. After casting his last spell, he began moving forward again without a change in expression.
"..."
"What on earth is that guy doing?"
The seniors were not fooled by the name of the Wardanaz family. The freshmen might have lacked experience and thought 'It's because he's from the Wardanaz family,' but the seniors knew better. Even for a member of the Wardanaz family, such a level of mana at that age was unbelievable!
'Did the family Patriarch mate with a dragon?'
'Did they sacrifice a thousand lives for a pact with a demon?'
'Is the principal disguising as a freshman?'
"Direth. I've thought of a good method. This could shorten the time!"
"What's the method? Surely you're not thinking of involving that freshman. Tell me."
"...That's exactly it... Please, don't point your staff at me, Direth! Don't curse me! Don't curse me! We'll just borrow his mana! Only his mana!"
"Cough. How was it?"
"It was truly touching and beneficial."
"?"
Ymirg looked at Yi-Han as if he were an oddity.
'How can our impressions be so different when we walked together?'
Ymirg had felt like he was wandering through a graveyard swept by a bitter cold...
"I thought as much."
Professor Mortum spoke with a pleased expression. Any mage interested in dark magic couldn't help but be moved by the sight of that twisted realm.
"Cough. If you want to take another look, just tell me. Next time, you might gain some valuable knowledge."
"Yes, I understand."
Yi-Han managed his expression as he responded, though he was determined never to return.
Crash!
"..."
Gainando and Raphael came rolling from the opposite direction, grappling each other's collars. They both looked a mess after their tussle.
Professor Mortum clicked his tongue upon seeing them.
"Cough. To waste such a precious opportunity like that... Perhaps next time, Wardanaz should lead the way."
"Such impudent fools. To squander an opportunity given by the professor by fighting each other! Get your minds straight and go back for another look!"
"That won't be necessary... Cough."
Professor Mortum declined, yet he looked at Yi-Han with a slightly pleased expression.
Indeed, he was the most promising student among the freshmen.
