Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 40

Chapter 40

The figures, clad in the guise of an ordinary traveler, were anything but ordinary. No average traveler would be found blocking the road on a desolate Imperial highway during such a dusky evening.

Beneath their cloaks and overcoats, fierce glints shone from their exposed faces, betraying a brutal intent.

The workers' voices grew louder and more abrasive, "I warn you for the last time! Reveal your identity now!"

Receiving no response, the workers promptly fired their crossbows, launching bolts with a resounding thud.

Thump!

Instead of the sound of piercing flesh, the bolt struck something solid. Undeterred, the workers swiftly reloaded their crossbows.

These were no ordinary laborers; they were tasked with transporting goods to the magic academy, trained not only to verify identities but also to fight in defense of their cargo if needed.

The workers were a diverse group, comprising former Imperial adventurers, mercenaries, and soldiers. Their experienced and composed actions in such situations were a testament to their training. They emerged from the carriage with practiced ease, crossbows in hand, ready to aim at their enemy.

"Fire!"

"Foolish ones. Do you even know whom you're aiding right now?" a rough, harsh voice emerged from the opposition. In the darkness, the voice sounded even more ominous.

"You are siding with the mages who are corrupting the Empire. Escape their wicked magic before it ensnares you!"

"By the beards of our ancestors! They are anti-magic extremists!"

A Dwarf worker shouted in alarm.

The anti-magic extremists.

Among the myriad villains of the vast Empire, these were particularly notorious. As their name suggested, they despised all magic.

Magic disrupts order, destroys nature, and corrupts humanity! Their disdain for magic was not passive; they frequently attacked mages and magic academies.

Their presence here could only mean one thing.

"In the name of the <Twilight Dawn> Brigade!"

"In the name of the <Twilight Dawn> Brigade!"

As the warning ended, the opposition charged forward. In the moonlight, their weapons gleamed menacingly, causing the workers to swallow hard.

"<Barrier of Order>!"

With a surge of powerful mana, a massive protective barrier enveloped the carriages.

The charging foes were repelled, vomiting blood as they were flung back.

It was Professor Garcia's magic at work.

"Ooh!"

"Indeed, it is the Professor!"

The armed workers marveled at the display of magic.

However, Professor Garcia's expression remained grim. Despite her appearance, which often led to misconceptions of her prowess in battle, Garcia was not inclined toward combat.

There was a common misconception that high-level mages were also adept at combat, but this was a mistake. Magic and combat were entirely different realms.

For a mage who had spent a lifetime at the desk, studying magic, maintaining composure and focus in the chaos of battle was no simple task. A lapse in concentration or a minor error could lead to disastrous consequences with magic.

It was a perilous double-edged sword!

This was why combat-trained mages were specifically called "battle mages."

'Let's buy some time.'

Professor Garcia waved her staff, and birds of light soared into the sky, off to inform the other professors at the magic academy of the current situation.

“<Withering bones, shrinking muscles>."

The attackers near the barrier screamed in agony.

The cursed magic wrapped around their bodies, commencing to weaken their flesh.

"Activate it!"

But the adversary was no easy foe.

Professor Garcia's face darkened.

The mages of the Empire were formidable opponents.

The anti-magic extremists, who had been relentlessly attacking these mages, knew very well how to counter them.

A deep, ear-shattering vibration resonated, disturbing the surrounding mana, which then began to coalesce and be absorbed into a single point.

"!!!"

The <Barrier of Order> that Professor Garcia had conjured melted away like snow in midsummer, overwhelmed by the immense power.

Garcia was astonished by the magnitude of the force.

'An ancient artifact!'

There were ways to counter magic; the Empire possessed metals that could absorb or repel mana, and spells that could dispel magic. However, among these methods, none could absorb such a vast expanse of mana in one go.

Only one thing in the Empire could perform such an unbelievable feat: an ancient artifact.

These were treasures, containing long-forgotten mysteries and knowledge, often found in ruins or dungeons.

That these villains had managed to find one of such artifacts was an unfortunate twist of fate.

"Professor, retreat!"

As the barrier dissipated and the attackers began to advance again, the workers tried to move Garcia to safety.

Garcia swung her staff to cast another spell, but before she could, her magic unraveled, and her mana was drawn toward the artifact.

"You wicked mage, prepare to face retribution!"

One of the attackers, emboldened, drew his sword to strike at Garcia.

Crack!

In an instant, the attacker's head spun to the side.

"...?!"

"???!"

Both Professor Garcia and the workers were taken aback.

What just happened?

—

'This is certainly not the principal's trap.'

Upon hearing the name of the <Twilight Dawn> Brigade from the carriage behind, Yi-Han could no longer deny reality. If the principal had laid out this trap, Yi-Han had no hope or dreams left. At this rate, remaining a student under the principal indefinitely seemed like a better option.

The <Twilight Dawn> Brigade. Among the anti-magic extremists of the Empire, they were the most extensive and fierce.

Naturally, Yi-Han, hailing from a renowned family of mages of the Empire, had heard of them a few times. However, he never expected to encounter them here...

"What are we going to do?"

"Ratford, stay hidden."

"Could it be...?"

As Ratford expressed his surprise, Yi-Han began chanting a spell.

"I hide in the night."

With the incantation, Yi-Han's figure turned invisible. Before Ratford could even react in surprise to the artifact's effect, he hurriedly warned, "This is dangerous! These people are not ordinary!"

"I know. That's why I'm being cautious."

Yi-Han preferred preparing in advance rather than wasting a chance to act, hidden away and possibly caught.

He was always someone who prepared for the worst.

<Barrier of Order>

'Could the professor fend them off?'

Yi-Han was momentarily relieved as the massive barrier unfolded and Garcia's curse toppled the attackers. But then the attackers pulled out a strangely shaped artifact, which obliterated all the surrounding mana. Even Garcia's spell was swept away by its force!

'!!!'

Yi-Han was astonished, but there was one silver lining.

His belt had held up.

Despite the spell collapsing and mana being drawn into one point, the fact that his invisibility spell remained unbroken was remarkable.

‘Is this the blessing of Presinga?’

'...No, it's thanks to my own mana.'

Yi-Han could sense the flow of mana around him.

As the mana in the vicinity was being drawn into the artifact, Yi-Han's own mana was being siphoned as well. The issue, however, was that despite his mana being drawn out, it was continually replenished and then filled his belt without any gap.

So, how could the magic spell be broken when it was like having a gigantic battery attached right next to him?

'They're coming!'

Yi-Han no longer had the luxury of time to ponder. The enemies had begun their assault on Professor Garcia.

Crack!

Yi-Han, as the old knight of his family, Arlong, and the Elf swordsmanship professor, Ingurdel, had acknowledged, possessed a talent for swordsmanship.

Even now, under the guise of invisibility, executing such a surprise attack was expected.

"Professor, I'm here! It's Yi-Han!" Yi-Han shouted to Professor Garcia. He couldn't risk being mistakenly attacked by his own ally due to a misunderstanding.

"Student Yi-Han?! Why are you here...?!"

"It's a long story! Professor, tell me what I need to do!"

Yi-Han exclaimed, seizing the sword from the fallen adversary.

The cry of her student brought Professor Garcia back to her senses.

"I've contacted the academy, help should arrive soon. Just hold on without getting hurt until then!"

Thump, thump-

The sounds of the workers' crossbows loudly split the night sky.

At a glance, it seemed advantageous for them, but Yi-Han noticed the enemy's movements were fierce.

'They're all experts in swordsmanship!'

The crossbows were powerful but required time to reload after each shot.

The attackers were exploiting this gap to close in.

"The workers might not hold out! Can't you use your magic, Professor?"

"All the magic around here is... Wait a minute."

Professor Garcia was puzzled to see Yi-Han in his invisible state.

How did he maintain his invisibility spell?

"How did you... Ah!" Professor Garcia realized how Yi-Han was maintaining his invisibility.

A vast reservoir of mana like a bottomless well!

"Student Yi-Han, lend me your mana!"

Garcia reached out, and Yi-Han grabbed her hand. He felt the mana shift dramatically.

Having experienced this once before with Professor Boladi, Yi-Han was not overly surprised.

“<Petra's Diamond Spear>!"

Professor Garcia chanted a spell without hesitation, aiming it at the artifact.

Although she had intended to use defensive magic to buy time, given the enemy's use of such a foul artifact, the situation had changed.

Even at the risk of sacrifice, she was determined to destroy the artifact!

"!"

Yi-Han was astounded to see a gigantic diamond spear materialize in mid-air. Creating such a spear out of nothing!

"Get out of the way!!"

"Move!"

Realizing its power, the attackers hastily dodged its path.

Despite the ancient artifact continually absorbing mana and reducing its power, the diamond spear, once formed, did not vanish.

Crash!

With a thunderous noise, the diamond spear exploded above the ancient artifact. Along with it, the surrounding flow of mana normalized.

“<Lightning wolves that tear flesh>!"

With a crackling sound, a massive cluster of lightning appeared in the air, transforming into wolves that darted in all directions, shredding all enemies within its radius.

"...!"

Yi-Han shuddered at the sight of the lightning wolves cutting off the enemies' breath and incinerating them.

It was a grim yet awe-inspiring scene that naturally evoked respect for the Professor.

"!?"

Yi-Han lifted his head at the ominous sound he had heard earlier. The partially destroyed ancient artifact was reactivating.

"Kill that mage! At all costs!"

Despite dozens having fallen, a few remaining attackers, furious, charged towards Professor Garcia.

Yi-Han, wielding the sword he had previously seized, confronted them.

Thud!

"There's someone using invisibility magic! There's someone with invisibility magic! Damn that mage!"

The anti-magic extremist, impaled by the sword, spat out a mouthful of blood in the direction where Yi-Han was.

Yi-Han felt a chill run down his spine.

'These aren't ordinary combatants!'

To respond so quickly to an invisible foe without panic was extraordinary. It was almost like fighting against Arlong.

Moreover, the leader of the attackers, who had given the earlier command, was drawing near. His stance alone indicated he was a skilled fighter.

Could he manage to fend off all these adversaries while also protecting Professor Garcia?

"I reveal myself in the morning."

"!"

As he recited the spell, Yi-Han's form became visible.

The enemies, startled, glared at him with surprise. They hadn't expected their adversary to be such a young novice.

"I don't know what bravery you have, but I'll send you to join your fellow mages."

"Do what you will."

"?"

"I'm going to destroy the artifact!"

With those words, Yi-Han began to dash forward, towards the ancient artifact.

The sight of the unguarded, vacant artifact shocked the attackers.

"No! Stop him!!"