Summoning Genius at Kizen - Chapter 8 Bahil's assistants appeared and set up one practice set per student. On the right was a plant resembling a cactus on a sand board, and on the left was a 'Magic Circle Mold' reminiscent of a casting mold. It was a magic circle correction tool for beginner Necromancers. "It's embarrassing for a Kizen student to use a correction tool, but it's the first class, so there's no helping it." Bahil said. "It's fine to get a feel for it, but be careful not to develop bad habits by relying too much on the correction tool. Alright! Let's begin practicing the Exhaust Curse, 'Exhaust'!" Bahil kindly explained how to use the correction tool, and Simon followed his instructions. He gripped the two handles of the correction tool, squeezed out Jet Black, and poured it into the handles. The Jet Black flowed through the mold of the correction tool, gradually forming the shape of a magic circle. "The key is how perfectly you can create the main Rune." 'Runes' were, simply put, letters with magical power, and drawing these letters using Jet Black could produce magical effects. Simon focused on drawing the main Rune and then wrote out the activation formula along the circle's edge. Of course, since he was using a mold, he could draw the magic circle without understanding its structure in his head. "Alright, students who have finished, float your magic circles into the air." Simon swallowed hard and raised his completed magic circle. The dark blue Jet Black magic circle detached from the mold and floated gently in the air. 'Wow!' It was a real magic circle. He had created the same technique his father, Richard, sometimes used! He wondered if this would truly activate dark magic, but he couldn't help but feel excited. Looking around, about half the students in the class had their magic circles floating in the air. 'Ah!' While he was momentarily lost in thought, one side of Simon's magic circle's edge turned liquid-like and dripped down. "I see students whose magic circle forms are collapsing quite often." Bahil said as if he had been waiting. "This happens when Jet Black isn't properly refined, or when the magic circle's cohesion is weak. Try again." Simon gritted his teeth and started over from the beginning. "And students who can maintain their magic circles in the air, let's move straight to practical application! Use the curse on the plant placed in front of your desk!" The successful students took a deep breath and simultaneously activated their magic circles. Whoosh! Black gas shot out from the magic circles, heading towards the cactus-like plants. Half of them showed no change, while the other half saw their plants wilt. "Congratulations. If there's a significant change in the plant, your magic circle worked correctly." "Yes!" The male student next to Simon clenched his fist. Simon swallowed his envy and resumed working on his magic circle. "The difference is already widening. Successful students should repeatedly practice to increase the speed of their magic circle completion, and those who feel their speed is sufficient should try practicing creating magic circles directly in the air without using the correction tool." Time flew by quickly, and Simon experienced his fourth failure. Creating the magic circle itself wasn't a problem, but when he floated it in the air, it would often turn into a wobbly mess and fall to the floor. 'What's the problem?' As more and more students succeeded, Simon grew anxious. Of course, Kizen was where the continent's top talents gathered, and most students had prior learning. It was natural for Simon, who was encountering dark magic for the first time, to struggle, but such self-justification didn't exist in Simon's mind. Why did he fail? -Your Jet Black still has the properties of mana. The way it flickers like fire means it hasn't escaped its gaseous state. -I need to learn how to use the Core more effectively. The moment he recalled the voices of Neptis and Lorraine from Langerstein, Simon took his hands off the correction tool's handles. Then he closed his eyes and focused on the mana within his body. 'Back to basics.' He drew mana into his body with his breath and moved it to the Core below his heart. Up to this point, it was the same. Simon didn't let the mana flow into the Core but gathered as much as possible in front of it. 'Ugh!' His heart ached with a tingling pain, but he gritted his teeth and endured it. And now, he forcefully shoved the clump of mana, gathered to its limit, into the Core all at once. When a large amount of mana was injected at once and with force, the Jet Black flowed out of the Core even more solidified. This was a stopgap measure Simon came up with, as he hadn't yet learned how to properly utilize the Core. 'Here I go!' Simon's eyes snapped open, and he gripped the handles of the correction tool. The purified Jet Black settled into the mold faster than before. Simon quickly finished the Rune and formula work and floated the magic circle into the air. 'It worked!' It didn't collapse now. Simon moved the magic circle, aiming it at the plant on the sand board. He wanted to succeed cleanly in one go, now that he had the feel for it. 'Exhaust!' As the magic circle activated, gray smoke shot out from the center of the Rune and directly hit the plant. Simon anxiously observed the plant's condition with the utmost earnestness. Swoosh. The stiff body of the plant drooped downwards. 'It worked!' Simon clenched his fist. A tingling thrill spread up his spine. He was so happy he almost screamed in the middle of the classroom. This was Simon's first dark magic spell in his life. "Alright, that's enough." Bahil clapped his hands. "Students who haven't succeeded by the end should go back to their dorms and practice." Sounds of regret echoed from various places. Bahil returned to the podium and picked up the attendance book. "Alright! Now, for the remaining time, we'll have a practical combat session with the magic we learned today. The student whose name is called, please come forward." Suddenly, a tense atmosphere filled the classroom. Students tried to avoid Bahil's gaze or feigned disinterest. Bahil smiled faintly and looked at the attendance book. "Oh, Special Case #1 was in this class, wasn't he?" The students all turned their heads. "Simon Pollentia. Come forward." "......Yes." He had a bad feeling about this, and it turned out to be true. Simon composed himself as he walked to the podium. He succeeded in the end, so there was no need to be nervous. He just had to do as he had done. "Alright, then, who would be a good opponent for our excellent Special Case #1?" The students flinched, avoiding Bahil's gaze. Bahil, as if amused by their reactions, smiled broadly and flipped through the attendance book. "There are two students with impressive entrance exam scores." Bahil pondered who to call between the two, then finally opened his mouth. "Hector Moore. Come forward." "Yes." It was the large male student Bahil had remembered. Hector stood up and walked onto the podium. The two soon stood facing each other on the podium. Simon swallowed dryly. Standing face to face like this, Hector, this male student, felt much larger. "I will now explain the rules." Assistants brought stand desks in front of Simon and Hector. On them were the Exhaust correction tools they had used in class. "The two students are only allowed to use Exhaust. Complete Exhaust and use it on your opponent! The first one whose knee or butt touches the ground loses." It was a simple rule. Simon steeled his resolve. Since he was already standing in front of everyone, he wanted to win. "Professor." At that moment, Hector raised his hand. "Yes, what is it?" "I will compete without using the correction tool." Oh— Whistles sounded from various places. The relaxed students were now ready to fully enjoy the match between the two. "That's an excellent mindset." Bahil had hinted at his disapproval of using correction tools at the beginning of the class. Hector, having noticed this, was appealing to his own skill and confidence while also earning points with a proposal Bahil would like. Despite his rough, bear-like appearance, it was a clever move. Bahil turned his head and looked at Simon. "What about you, Simon?" Simon's lips were parched. Everyone here was looking at him with expectant eyes. Honestly, it was a difficult atmosphere to refuse the offer, but. "I will use the correction tool." It was better to face reality than to succumb to childish arrogance. Accepting that offer here and then failing to cast Exhaust even once, retreating helplessly, would be far worse. Bahil gave a wry smile and looked at Hector, who replied as if he had been waiting. "I have no intention of retracting my statement." "Good." Hector had seized control of the atmosphere. The petty Special Case #1 versus the steadfast and confident Hector, who had left a strong impression on everyone. It was obvious who everyone watching would cheer for. "You will begin when I give the signal. Both of you, please show your classmates a splendid match." Hector lowered his stance, and Simon gripped the handles of the correction tool. "Start!" Simon activated the prepared Jet Black and fed it into the correction tool. The Jet Black quickly spread, filling the magic circle mold. 'I can do it!' Perhaps due to nervousness, the Jet Black didn't spread as well as during practice, but he patiently waited for the magic circle to complete. The main Rune in the center of the magic circle was drawn, and just as he was about to continue with the detailed formulas. "......!" Suddenly, his body felt incredibly heavy, and his legs trembled. 'No way!' Simon looked up. Hector, who had already completed his first spell, was wearing a triumphant smile. "Ooooh!" "Go, Hector!" "He's really fast." Hector, riding this momentum, immediately prepared his second spell, while Simon gritted his teeth and tried to maintain his pace. 'My body feels heavy even after just one hit!' Cold sweat dripped, and his legs trembled violently. Simon could feel in his entire body why curses were so threatening and why they were such efficient means of attack. 'It's complete. Now, float it!' The moment Simon floated the completed magic circle from the correction tool into the air, one side of the circle collapsed like mush. Ah— Sounds of regret echoed from various places. Even if he could activate this now, the formula was damaged, so it would have no effect. Simon discarded it without hesitation and prepared a new magic circle. 'Kuk!' And Hector's second Exhaust struck. He felt his stamina drain, and his body grew even heavier. It was the worst. He needed to focus solely on spellcasting, but even standing upright was difficult. It was a situation where his concentration couldn't help but waver. The tide of battle flowed unilaterally. Hector mercilessly activated and landed his third, fourth, and fifth Exhausts. Simon's knees trembled as if they would buckle at any moment. The students, who had been cheering for Hector's fierce offense, now looked at Simon with pity. 'It's over. He's no match.' 'He can't even land one hit?' 'Is he really Special Case #1?' Simon, whose condition and concentration were extremely low, failed to construct a magic circle twice in a row. Hector poured his sixth Exhaust onto Simon and said, "Surrender. It's pathetic to watch." Simon, fueled by spite, put strength into his legs. Absolutely, absolutely, he couldn't back down like this. 'Again!' Immediately followed by his third attempt. Hector sighed and prepared his seventh Exhaust. "......Hmm." And Bahil watched the fight between the two students with his arms crossed. Hector, that boy, was certainly something. Aside from his talent in Curse Studies, he had the mindset of a student. A talent who would survive until third year. He decided he would definitely take this one under his wing. 'On the other hand, Special Case #1 is.......' Honestly, he was terrible. To get into Kizen, prior learning was basic, and some students had even experienced real combat. But this student, Special Case #1, had none of those fundamentals. As if he was learning dark magic for the first time. 'Why did Lady Neptis choose such a boy as Special Case #1?' Special Cases #1, #2, #3, and #4, who skipped the notoriously difficult entrance exam and were formally invited to Kizen, were truly once-in-a-century talents. Among them, the selection of 'Top' Special Case #1 was the sole authority of Neptis, Kizen's ruler and dean, and they had all grown into formidable figures. But for a student personally chosen by Neptis, he showed no signs of promise. If there was anything special, it was his stamina. Ordinary students would kneel after receiving four Exhausts. But Simon was enduring even after being hit by nine Exhausts. He was naturally born with great stamina. He must have trained his body regularly. And seeing him still clinging to his magic even in a situation where it was hard to stand, his mental fortitude was considerable. But that was all. Professor Hong Peng of Martial Arts might drool over him, but he didn't appeal to Bahil. "Kuh-heup!" Simon's eyes widened as he floated his fourth magic circle onto the mold. This time, it was properly completed and didn't collapse even when floating in the air. Simon immediately activated the spell. Gray gas shot out and hit Hector's body. "......!" Hector, who was preparing his spell, staggered greatly. His knees momentarily buckled, and he almost lost his balance, but he managed to brace himself by placing his hand on the floor. 'It finally hit!' Simon clenched his fist. And for the first time, a look of bewilderment appeared on Hector's face as he raised his head. 'What is this? Why is it so heavy?' Hector had experienced Exhaust through prior learning. But was this curse really this potent? He almost went down with just one hit. Nevertheless, the score was 9:1. He was undoubtedly in an overwhelming lead. But Hector, having allowed the first hit, felt an inexplicable anxiety. The opponent, clinging to him like a leech, was incredibly annoying. 'Just fall already!' Hector gathered all his concentration and activated the tenth magic circle he had floating in the air. Thud. Finally, Simon, who had endured a whopping 10 Exhausts, knelt on one knee. "That's enough, the match is over." Bahil came forward and said. "The winner is Hector Moore." Applause erupted from the students. Hector wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned his gaze. There, he saw Simon, drenched in sweat, slumped on the floor. '.......' He didn't feel like he had won at all. When he landed the first Exhaust, Hector knew his opponent was a beginner. A guy who had never learned dark magic. So the match should have ended there. It should have. But he just wouldn't fall. Even after being hit by nine Exhausts, with his legs trembling precariously, he somehow completed a spell and landed a hit on him. '......Disgusting bastard.' Before he grows even bigger. Before he becomes so massive that no one can stop him. Wouldn't it be better to crush him while he can be crushed? Hector thought seriously. "Simon, you did well too. You may go." Bahil snapped his fingers, and the 10-layered Exhaust curse that had been weighing Simon down was lifted. The curse was gone, but the fatigue from enduring it remained. His mouth tasted sour. Still. 'Phew.' He had no regrets. Simon got up, feeling lighthearted. 'That was fun.' He felt glad he came to this school. "Alright, that's all for today's class." Bahil immediately declared the end of class. Students poured out of the classroom like a receding tide, and Bahil sat in his chair, leaning back. Then he closed his eyes and remained still, as if meditating. "P-Professor." At that moment, a female student, looking hesitant, approached Bahil. "I have a question about the class......." "Just a moment." Bahil held out his palm, his eyes still closed. "Come to my research lab after all classes are over today. I will resolve all your questions then." "R-Really? Th-Thank you!" What a stroke of luck. The female student let out a small shriek of delight at being invited to Bahil's research lab and ran out of the classroom. Bahil watched her retreating figure, his eyes half-closed, glaring. 'I need to control myself.' He almost swore out loud. This emotion. This lingering feeling. He didn't want to waste this moment on such cheap trivialities. Bahil closed his eyes again and savored the memory of the class. '......Simon Pollentia.' He was thinking of none other than Simon. At first, he thought he was just a guy with good stamina, but that wasn't it. Perhaps all the students who attended the class thought Simon had been unilaterally crushed 10:1. But that one single Exhaust he landed on Hector at the very end. To the eyes of a professor who could read a student's talent and potential, that single Exhaust cast by Simon was several, no, dozens of times more valuable than the ten Exhausts cast by Hector. In his mind, Simon's Exhaust replayed over and over. 'It's the best!' Bahil's lips stretched into a wide grin. 'I must make sure a genius like that majors in Curse Studies, no matter what!' Bahil's inherent desires began to itch.
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