Chapter 57

Thud!

A dull sound echoed.

The iron ball that Yi Han had sent flying with magic had accurately hit the mud golem.

However, what followed was different from what Yi Han had expected.

"!"

Yi Han's expression changed.

The connection with the iron ball had been severed.

The iron ball, embedded deep within the massive body of the mud golem, did not come out.

'Too complacent.'

Yi Han clicked his tongue.

The mud golem was a monster maintained by magical power. When an object connected by magic entered its body, it was highly likely to be interfered with by the mud golem's magical power.

Rattle—

The bone summoner waved his hand, as if asking to be sent away.

"Can you pull it out? Then... go!"

As Yi Han gave the order, the bone summoner flew in.

The bone summoner, making a thumping sound, climbed onto the mud golem and tried its hardest to pull out the iron ball embedded in its back.

"......"

"......"

However, the iron ball was embedded too deeply. The bone summoner struggled and flailed its hands but could not reach the iron ball.

"Enough. Come back."

The bone summoner, looking dejected, retreated.

Fortunately, the mud golem did not attack.

'There's no need to use the invisibility spell.'

Yi Han, who had been prepared to run in case of an emergency, straightened his posture and prepared to attack again.

The iron ball was blocked, but...

'The water ball is possible.'

Reluctantly, it was time to admit that Professor Vlad's teachings were useful once again.

Thanks to the training of dodging Professor Vlad's throwing knives while practicing magic, Yi Han could summon a water ball.

The problem was its destructive power.

'Is it weaker than the iron ball?'

Even though it was raining, Yi Han had first thrown the iron ball because of its destructive power.

Moreover, the process of using the iron ball was simple.

Lift, concentrate, and throw.

The iron ball was heavy and easy to focus on, making its destructive power better.

In contrast, the water ball was disadvantageous in many ways. The process was much more difficult.

Summon the water, form it into a ball, and control it to throw.

Several times more steps than the iron ball.

Yi Han, who could perfectly control the iron ball, could not perfectly control the water ball, which was why he had been beaten up by Professor Vlad.

"Spring forth!"

Yi Han first lifted the water ball.

Water gushed out into the air and soon formed a compressed sphere. It felt much easier due to the rain.

Thud!

'As expected, it doesn't work.'

The water ball exploded, but its destructive power was weaker than the iron ball. The depth to which the mud was penetrated showed this.

The bone summoner, sensing this, shook its body.

'Think about it. Even if the professors are heartless, beast-like beings who have lost their human emotions, they wouldn't have prepared this golem without any strategy.'

Yi Han fell into deep thought again.

Of course, this golem was not prepared by Professor Thunderstep, but Yi Han had no way of knowing that.

'Professor Thunderstep must know that I am studying under Professor Vlad. He will have talked to Professor Vlad. If I can make the most of the magic I learned from Professor Vlad, there might be a way.'

The water ball was spinning in a circle.

Yi Han lifted his head.

The water ball was spinning in a circle. Yi Han burst into a hollow laugh.

Due to being beaten up by Professor Vlad, he was unconsciously drawing circles even when standing still.

Suddenly, something flashed in Yi Han's mind.

'If I make the water ball spin quickly?'

If I spin the water ball and then throw it, the penetration power should be higher.

Yi Han stopped making the water ball draw circles and started to make it spin.

Whoosh!

* * *

When Professor Ingeldel seemed to be firmly angry, the Skeleton Headmaster sent a telepathic message to Professor Thunderstep.

-Do something.

Professor Ingeldel was a precious talent that was hard to come by for the magic school.

If Professor Ingeldel resigned and left, the aftermath would be too terrible to imagine.

The Skeleton Headmaster would have to go to the Emperor and write a statement saying, "I didn't intentionally torment him," and explain to the imperial officials, "I didn't intentionally torment the knights," and beg the knights, "Please, just give me one sword instructor, I promise I won't torment them."

Just thinking about it was terrifying.

-Why me...

Professor Thunderstep grumbled but went down to the cabin's basement and poured a lot of honey wine from a dwarf-made barrel.

Since the other party was the Headmaster.

-Don't forget the snacks.

"......"

Professor Thunderstep picked up the smoked meats and vegetables from the cabin's shelf.

At that moment, the vegetables that Yi Han had harvested and left caught his eye.

'Oh, I was going to eat those.'

Having thoroughly cleaned out the cabin, the first harvest of vegetables was meant for Professor Thunderstep himself.

However, the Skeleton Headmaster had a keen sense.

-You wouldn't bring only delicious food for yourself, right?

'Damn it.'

Professor Thunderstep gave up and brought everything.

Thud!

"Come on, Professor Ingeldel. Please have some. This is honey wine I made myself, vegetables from my garden, and meat I smoked myself."

In the world! Our alchemy professor's wine! The taste of heaven, unseen anywhere in the empire!

"......"

The Skeleton Headmaster was not good at giving compliments.

Fortunately, Professor Ingeldel was a kind elf. He tilted his glass and complimented.

"It really is delicious, Professor Thunderstep."

"Thank you."

It was not just empty words; it really was delicious.

A great alchemist is also a great cook and a great brewer. It couldn't taste bad.

Feeling the atmosphere lighten, the Skeleton Headmaster spoke in a warm voice.

There's no need to worry too much about the students. When I was a student, it was much harder.

"......"

"......"

The two relatively younger professors remained silent as the Skeleton Headmaster's "when I was a student" story went back to ancient times.

Back then, everything was hard, right...!

And this year's freshmen are interesting. They will overcome any crisis on their own.

"That's true."

Professor Ingeldel nodded with a modest expression.

Listening to the Headmaster, he felt that he had been overprotective.

Of course, he might have been a bit drunk.

Right? Just take the student from the Wodanaz family who went to the mountains. Isn't he quite clever?

The other two professors agreed with the Skeleton Headmaster.

Yi Han, being of interest to all three, could relate to the topic.

Feeling the two relatively younger professors agree, the Skeleton Headmaster felt better.

That's right. So don't worry too much. The student from the Wodanaz family is clever enough to learn my magic well, and another student...

"?"

"?"

The two professors, who had been quietly drinking honey wine, paused.

"What did you just say?"

What?

"...You said he learned your magic well...?"

Both Professor Ingeldel and Professor Thunderstep looked at the Skeleton Headmaster in shock.

Of course, professors could give personal instruction to students. It was a natural part of a school for learning magic.

However, the Skeleton Headmaster was an exception.

As evident from his recent statement, he was a madman from ancient times, different from the current professors.

The Skeleton Headmaster realized he had made a slip of the tongue.

As a magician who had existed since ancient times, he decided to push back instead of backing down.

Am I, the headmaster and representative of this school, not allowed to give personal instruction as I see fit?!

"......"

"......"

The Skeleton Headmaster sensed the atmosphere was not good. The two professors were not easily convinced.

Realizing he was at a disadvantage, the Skeleton Headmaster changed his approach.

I'm not the only one. Professor Vlad Bagrek also gives personal instruction, and so do you, Thunderstep!

Subtly pulling in both the absent and present professors, he showed his skill.

Indeed, he was not just any ancient old magician.

"No... I only give instruction appropriate for the first-year level. Professor Bagrek does the same. But you are different!"

Thunderstep said, sounding bewildered.

The tasks Thunderstep gave to Yi Han were physically demanding but safe, with no risk of madness.

In contrast, the Skeleton Headmaster, even to a first-year, would teach all sorts of difficult and bizarre magic.

Professor Bagrek also teaches magic not suitable for first-years. The last time I heard, he was teaching practically third-circle magic.

The Skeleton Headmaster, after pulling in Thunderstep, focused the topic on the absent Professor Vlad Bagrek.

And this was not a lie.

The last time he heard, Professor Vlad was indeed teaching something similar to third-circle magic.

-The Wodanaz family's boy passed the training of drawing a perfect circle with iron balls.

-Is that so? Impressive. Even though it's a first-circle spell, it's hard to show that level of control with just a first-circle spell.

-So we moved on to the next stage.

-What was the next stage? The Water Ball spell? That's a second-circle spell.

The circle, a measure of a spell's difficulty, is determined by the number of steps in the casting process.

The spell to summon water and maintain it in a spherical form is a second-circle spell.

-He succeeded in making a water ball and is now drawing circles with it.

If we add control, it's practically a third-circle spell.

Of course, the result is the same, but it's not a third-circle spell.

A third-circle spell requires weaving all the steps into reality with a single wand movement and incantation.

Completing it step by step, like summoning water, forming it into a ball, and making it spin, is not strictly a third-circle spell.

But this is still impressive.

Ultimately, it's evidence that he can use third-circle spells if he becomes more familiar and faster with magic.

A first-year struggling with second-circle spells is now completing this.

Other professors would have been amazed, but the Skeleton Headmaster took it calmly.

-That's good. Well done.

And he thought,

'If Professor Vlad can do it, I can also give personal magic instruction without any problem!'

"That's nonsense! Professor Bagrek is Professor Bagrek, and your magic is your magic!"

Professor Thunderstep, of course, did not fall for the Headmaster's words.

Honestly, it was questionable whether Professor Bagrek was really teaching third-circle magic, and even if it was true, the Headmaster's instruction felt much more threatening.

I'm really teaching safely! I only teach magic appropriate for the level. I swear it on my honor!

"......"

"......"

I swear it on my magic!

"Ah. If that's the case..."

"Then I believe you."

Swearing on his magic, the two professors finally let go of their doubts.

They had suspected that the Headmaster was trying to destroy the first-year's brain by teaching ancient magic that even he couldn't interpret.

Fortunately, it didn't seem to be the case.

"Then, what is Professor Bagrek teaching?"

Water-based combat magic.

The two professors, after hearing the detailed explanation from the Headmaster, were impressed.

It wasn't a third-circle spell as the Headmaster said, but for a first-year to show such mastery of a spell was truly remarkable.

A stunning achievement that required both talent and effort!

"I'm not a magician, so I don't know much, but is it common for a student at this level to show such achievement?"

"It's very rare. He must be very close to water. Of course, that's not enough, and many other talents are needed... Wait, Professor Bagrek specializes in magical combat. Is he making the students repeat this training? The strain on both magical power and mental strength is enormous..."

Oh, he's a real bad guy.

"......"

Well, he won't go any further than this. The current training is manageable, and the difficulty of the magic won't increase further.

* * *

Whoosh!

'Completed.'

The water ball, spinning fiercely in place, made a sound.

Yi Han, with a throbbing head, lifted his gaze to the mud golem.