Chapter 59

"Can't we just leave it behind? There's a 90% chance it will endanger us too."

A-san said urgently.

At his words, not only the students of the Black Turtle Tower but also those of the Blue Dragon Tower looked at A-san in shock.

How could he say such a thing?

"Hey, the White Tiger Tower guys are one thing, but there are also the acolytes."

"We can't abandon the acolytes too."

"How can you think so coldly?"

The reactions of the other students made Yi Han flinch.

In fact, Yi Han had also thought the same as A-san.

"Even if we wanted to leave it behind, it's too late! Everyone, scatter!"

Nilia shouted urgently.

Having faced dangerous monsters in the mountains many times, Nilia knew well what to do in such a situation.

It was more dangerous to run blindly with a monster chasing from behind.

They had to scatter first, tie the monster down, and then escape step by step.

Rowena asked while running.

"Can you cast the <Umidifus' Saphirite> spell you used earlier again?"

"What? I don't know what that is, but I can't cast it now! Everyone, just evacuate!"

As he answered, Yi Han belatedly recalled who Umidifus was.

A famous imperial mage who created several water element spells.

But no matter what, he couldn't cast it right now. It took him several minutes to complete it earlier.

With the mud golem charging at them...

"I'll hide in the night!"

Yi Han chanted the spell, and his body disappeared into the rain.

He had already confirmed that the mud golem used sight to find its enemies.

‘It’s a pity, but...’

Approaching the mud golem, Yi Han took out a smoke chalk from his pocket.

One of the incomplete artifacts he bought from the Black Turtle Tower black market.

‘Go!’

Crack!

With a breaking sound, a thick smoke cloud rose near the mud golem, making it hesitate due to the sudden loss of vision.

Yi Han drew out the Imperial Anti-Mage Sword, Dawnstar, given to him by the principal.

The blade of the black purple stone sword absorbed the surrounding magic power, making a strange sound. The bone summoner recoiled in disgust.

‘Aim for the legs!’

Thud!

Yi Han never intended to capture the mud golem from the start.

‘Blinding its vision and tying its feet is enough. The mud golem is different from other monsters. Once the students disappear, it won’t keep chasing them.’

The effect of Dawnstar was better than expected.

The mud golem, unable to recover immediately after its heel was cut, lost its balance and knelt on one knee.

Then something fell from above.

“?”

Yi Han instinctively caught it.

It was a dwarf from the White Tiger Tower.

“???”

Bartrek Bark, who had been caught by the mud golem's fist, looked around in confusion.

He couldn't see who was holding him.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you getting up?”

A voice from nowhere sounded indifferent, and Bartrek straightened up in surprise.

“Are you Wodanaz?”

“?!”

This time, it was Yi Han's turn to be surprised.

‘What’s with this White Tiger Tower guy? How did he know?’

“How did you know?”

“I just thought that only Wodanaz from the Blue Dragon Tower would do something like this...”

“......”

Yi Han was speechless.

That doesn’t make sense...

“Help Bartrek! Help Bartrek!”

“Bartrek! We’re coming!”

When the mud golem stopped, the White Tiger Tower students reorganized and prepared to attack.

It was truly remarkable that their fighting spirit hadn’t been dampened despite being beaten and chased.

Of course, Yi Han was furious.

“Seriously, what a bunch of unnecessary kids!”

Bartrek pretended not to hear, maintaining Wodanaz’s honor.

‘Can’t these guys even evacuate properly?!’

Yi Han’s plan was simple.

Using the mud golem’s weakness he found earlier, Yi Han would confuse its vision and buy time.

Meanwhile, the students would evacuate on their own.

Once all the students were gone, Yi Han would use the invisibility belt to disappear.

It was a simple yet good plan, but the White Tiger Tower students ruined it.

Of course, they hadn’t heard Yi Han’s plan, so it was understandable, but it didn’t matter to Yi Han.

“Hey, tell them to run!”

“Everyone, get out of here! There’s no need to help me!”

Bartrek was confused but did as Yi Han said.

The one who blocked the mud golem’s vision and saved him was Yi Han, not another student.

If he had any pride or conscience, he couldn’t refuse.

...But the White Tiger Tower students ignored Bartrek’s words.

“Bartrek! I’m coming to help you!”

“Bartrek, we’re coming!”

“......”

Bartrek couldn’t help but look at Yi Han, though he couldn’t see him due to the invisibility.

Thud-

The mud golem, which had stopped to recover its leg, slowly started moving again as the smoke dissipated.

The White Tiger Tower students running through the smoke seemed to have provoked the golem, which turned its head and stared at them.

‘It’s clear to anyone that it’s identifying and tracking its target.’

“Hey, how did you get through here? The mud golem didn’t give up the path so easily, did it?”

Yi Han asked Bartrek.

Yi Han could turn invisible, but the White Tiger Tower students didn’t have that option.

“I threw a mud dissolution potion. Siana the acolyte knows how to make it...”

“!”

Yi Han was surprised. Such a potion existed.

If such a potion existed, weakening the mud golem itself wasn’t impossible.

“Great! Where is the potion?”

“It’s all used up...”

“......”

Yi Han almost hit the back of someone’s head in frustration. To waste such a precious potion so carelessly.

Are your heads just helmet hangers?

‘Sigh.’

After a deep breath, Yi Han refocused.

The White Tiger Tower guys don’t seem to be backing down...

In this situation, he had to deal as much damage as possible to the mud golem before the smoke completely dissipated.

What’s the best way now?

‘Even if I cut with Dawnstar, the wound would be too small compared to its size, and the water beads take too long to cast.’

The White Tiger Tower students were getting closer without giving him time to think. The mud golem was already raising its fist.

‘Damn it!’

“Burn!”

It was almost an instinctive spell, not something he thought through.

Being close to the mud golem, he was within range, and it was more aggressive than other spells.

...But the effect was much better than Yi Han expected.

Whoosh!

“?!?”

Bartrek was startled and fell to the ground.

Suddenly, fierce flames shot up, enveloping the mud golem.

The flames, which should have been extinguished by the rain, continued to burn, fueled by Yi Han’s magic power.

“T... That’s amazing!!”

Bartrek was genuinely impressed.

Many White Tiger Tower students disliked and envied Wodanaz, but this was undeniable.

A fellow freshman casting a single spell to burn the mud golem like that.

The difference was so great that it inspired awe rather than jealousy.

“Damn!”

“??”

But Yi Han cursed instead of being impressed.

‘I’m sorry, Professor Garcia!’

Yi Han now understood why Professor Garcia had suggested practicing fire element spells later.

In a hurry, he poured more magic power into the spell than he could control, and the flames quickly went out of his control.

He had become too arrogant after his earlier success.

Fortunately, the mud golem took the brunt of the wild flames.

Otherwise, the flames would have spread in other directions.

Crack!

‘What’s this?’

Yi Han looked up at the cracking sound.

The mud golem was crumbling as it was baked by the flames.

While it’s easy to think that clay becomes hard when baked, it doesn’t become hard if it’s not properly prepared.

Instead, it becomes more vulnerable to heat and crumbles.

“...You... You planned this...!”

Bartrek was now too impressed to speak.

And Yi Han was too exhausted to respond.

* * * *

Yi Han dispelled the invisibility spell.

He joined the White Tiger Tower students, coordinating to slash and stab the mud golem.

With its body already cracking and crumbling, the mud golem couldn’t hold on any longer. It collapsed and fell.

“Woo-hoo!”

“We got it! We got it!”

“Thanks to you! Well done!!”

“?”

Yi Han was puzzled by the White Tiger Tower students who came over to thank him.

‘What’s this?’

Of course, he understood their joy at defeating the golem, but why the sudden friendliness after all the fighting?

“...But who are you? I don’t remember seeing you...”

“Which family are you from?”

“???”

The White Tiger Tower students, who had been thanking Yi Han, sensed something odd.

Seeing him fight with a sword next to Bartrek, they had assumed he was a White Tiger Tower student...

But the more they looked, the less he seemed like one.

Unable to bear it, Bartrek stepped in.

“He’s not from our tower, but Wodanaz from the Blue Dragon Tower.”

“...Aaaaaah!”

The White Tiger Tower students, who had been thanking him a moment ago, jumped back in shock.

Some even fell over.

‘They seem more shocked than when the mud golem attacked.’

“What... What’s your intention... with us?”

“No, how did you trick us? Did you use the rain? That doesn’t make sense...”

“Did you use magic to trick us??”

While the White Tiger Tower students made wild guesses, Yi Han shook his head in disappointment.

Bartrek, limping from the mud golem’s grip, spoke up.

“Wodanaz is here to help us. He saved me. Everyone, stop making weird comments.”

“Bartrek! Are you okay?”

“I’m a bit bruised but I’m fine. Can you gather the other students? It’s better to regroup before they scatter too far.”

The White Tiger Tower students nodded at Bartrek’s words.

Not all of them were bloodthirsty.

The Phoenix Tower acolytes and the more cautious (or smarter, in Yi Han’s view) White Tiger Tower students chose to run instead of fight.

They needed to be called back before they got lost in the mountains.

“By the way...”

“?”

“Is it okay to leave Bartrek behind? Wodanaz, you won’t do anything to Bartrek, right?”

“......”

“Ah, no. It’s not that I don’t trust your honor, but Bartrek is injured...”

Faced with Yi Han’s cold gaze, the White Tiger Tower students shrank back, making excuses.

* * * *

“Is anyone missing?”

“No. I’ve checked everyone.”

Yi Han confirmed the number of students from the Blue Dragon Tower and Black Turtle Tower.

Looking to the side, it seemed the White Tiger Tower and Phoenix Tower students had also gathered.

While Yi Han’s side had no injuries, the White Tiger Tower students had the most injuries.

Having charged recklessly at the mud golem, few students were without bruises or fractures.

The Phoenix Tower acolytes provided first aid to their injured friends. Especially Acolyte Siana, true to her Phlemang Order background, distributed pain relief and bruise treatment potions she had made.

Yoner was impressed by her skills.

“Truly amazing! As a Phlemang Order member, you know many recipes and can make them quickly...”

“......”

However, Yi Han, who had heard about Siana’s jealousy, was conflicted.

-If you’re gone, I’ll be number one!

...Such thoughts suddenly flashed through his mind.

‘I’ve already made an enemy of the White Tiger Tower, but I don’t want to make an enemy of the Phoenix Tower...’

While he was thinking this, Acolyte Siana approached.

“I heard you fought the mud golem directly. Try this. It’s a bruise treatment potion.”

“Yi Han isn’t injured...”

Yoner tried to explain kindly, but Yi Han was quicker.

He quickly took the potion, drank it in one go, and praised it enthusiastically.

“This is... the best potion I’ve ever tasted!!”

“Huh?”

Yoner was puzzled by Yi Han’s intense reaction.

Of course, Acolyte Siana’s skills were excellent, but a hastily made potion couldn’t be that good...

But Yi Han’s enthusiastic praise was just beginning.

His skills, honed from listening to boring lectures, were on full display.

“Did you make this potion yourself? I can’t believe it! You should sell it for money! Oh my god!”

Yi Han praised while glancing sideways.

Then he clearly saw it.

Acolyte Siana’s face brightened with a smile!