Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1018

Chapter 1018

It wasn't very comforting when the baby basilisk acted like this in a situation where some monster from another realm was thinking of him as appetizing.

The baby basilisk, misunderstood, spun its tail like a windmill and protested.

-I wasn't thinking that!-

'You haven't even said what you were thinking yet.'

-I think those evil monsters sensed Master's mana.-

The baby basilisk, being a monster itself, accurately guessed the desires of an opponent it had never even seen.

Unlike the baby basilisk that always wrapped around his forearm and ate mana abundantly, other monsters often suffered from constant hunger.

The amount of mana absorbed from prey was always insufficient compared to what their mighty bodies demanded.

That was also why powerful monsters often had violent temperaments.

-If it's such a powerful monster, it must need an enormous amount of mana.-

"Indeed."

The baby basilisk was deeply indignant about monsters coveting its master's flesh and blood.

-No matter how hungry, they should eat mana politely like me!-

"Mmhmm."

Instead of saying anything to the still young baby basilisk, Yi-Han quickly changed the subject.

"There's nothing like that!"

"Nothing? Then why have they been targeting you since earlier?"

"We must have seemed more threatening."

'Hmm.'

Kitarenanoom flinched.

He wouldn't have believed it earlier, but he had just witnessed the Pengerin family mage block his arcane technique with counter magic.

Considering the exploration team's size, there was a possibility the monster found them more threatening.

'For a monster that crossed realms, its strategy is too passive. Even if strong, it shouldn't be enough to threaten itself. Is it at a level where it can ignore one side and attack?'

The magic criminal pondering shook his head.

This wasn't the time to consider that.

"Fine. How do you plan to cooperate? Thinking of joining forces and moving together?"

"Ha. As if we could do that with each other."

Alcicle sneered. Neither the exploration team nor their side would be thinking that.

The moment they joined, they would be targeting each other's backs instead of the monster...

"Let's divide the areas to escape. We'd just end up fighting if we joined anyway. Since you infiltrated here, you must know the map well."

Yi-Han's proposal was reasonable.

Their current location was about the 4th basement floor.

There were two main paths to climb the remaining three floors.

The relatively simple and straight western passage, and the complexly twisted eastern passage.

If both tried to escape through the western passage, internal strife could break out or monsters would just surge in, so let's divide the areas to escape here!

'What is this? Is he an idiot?'

Kitarenanoom was puzzled.

The monsters were actively chasing the exploration team now. Even if they divided escape routes, there was a high chance they would concentrate on one side.

Then the benefit to the exploration team would be at most avoiding a situation where they fought each other.

They were soft, extraordinarily soft.

'Well. They would reject anything more even if proposed. Mutual destruction would be their loss too.'

-Something's strange. Aren't they playing tricks? Mage, you usually said...-

-...Though Einroguard graduates are cunning, this situation is different.-

Kitarenanoom explained to the demon.

Though even magic criminals had trouble keeping up with Einroguard graduates' cunning, Kitarenanoom had an evil nature that Einroguard mages lacked.

Innate evil!

Though Einroguard mages wounded his pride every time they met by saying "Did you become twisted because Einroguard looked down on you! Let me apologize instead!", Kitarenanoom took pride in his innate evil nature.

He was born purely evil without any external tragedy, misfortune, or contempt.

Wasn't that the innate virtue and strength a mage should have?

-They have many lives to protect because of their numbers. Naturally they can't attempt reckless negotiations. That's their weakness.-

-Indeed... I understand. I'll trust your judgment.-

'A fallen great demon acting so whiny.'

The magic criminal cursed his contracted demon inwardly.

"Fine! But we won't yield the passage. We'll take the west."

Beside him, Basirmack nodded as if well done.

"No. We won't yield either. We'll take the west."

At Yi-Han's words, Alcicle looked worried.

"What if they refuse?"

"Don't worry. With criminals, you need to come on this strong or they'll be suspicious."

'This fellow. Why does he know criminals so well...'

Alcicle looked at Yi-Han with eyes full of worry.

Not worried about the negotiation breaking down, but concerned that a mere 2nd year already understood criminal behavior so thoroughly.

...Can we really just trust Lord Gonadaltes?

'Hmm. Though Lord Gonadaltes is a great mage, his disciples have always been a bit...'

"You know too. That the monsters target us first. Don't think you'll be the only ones to benefit."

"...Not complete fools after all. Fine. We'll take the east."

"What? Why? Are you mad?"

Basirmack was enraged.

Why yield so much to the empire's dogs?

"Calm down. You don't want mutual destruction now."

"Threaten them! I'm saying threaten them!"

Kitarenanoom didn't listen anymore. They couldn't waste any more time.

"We'll go to the fork first. Follow behind. Maintain distance."

"Understood."

The exploration team moved first. Toward the fork where the passage split into west and east.

Though complaining, Basirmack didn't neglect his role.

"More are coming up from below. Like disgusting insects. How many are left after killing so many?"

"They must have increased their numbers meanwhile. Don't worry about it. We just need to break east at the fork before they arrive."

Kitarenanoom replenished his numbers again and turned his attention away from the spider monsters coming up from underground.

Once they split at the passage, the monsters would mostly target the other side anyway.

"Hey!"

"?"

The exploration team that arrived first suddenly called out. It sounded like that Einroguard mage from earlier.

"What?"

"Basirmack! Magic criminal Kitarenanoom offered ninety-nine giant hearts to contract with a great demon!"

"..."

"..."

"That's all!"

Kitarenanoom felt chills as if his spine had been stabbed with ice.

The giant mixed-blood warrior, Basirmack beside him, was glaring at him with cold eyes.

So different from his usual hot-tempered appearance that it was even more frightening.

"Nonsense! They're trying to sow discord!"

"I knew you contracted with a demon. The smell was obvious."

"...!"

"Then take this chance to tell me. What did you offer as sacrifice?"

-Kuhahaha!-

The demon's delighted laughter could be heard.

This demon contract had a clause that he must not reveal what was offered as sacrifice.

The moment he revealed it, the contract would be broken and Kitarenanoom would become the other's eternal slave.

"I cannot reveal that due to the demon contract."

"Indeed."

"Don't be deceived by them! Like cunning Einroguard bastards, tricks..."

Even as he spoke, Kitarenanoom couldn't understand at all.

The method of binding their feet with just one sentence was something that couldn't be used without knowing their relationship well.

How could an Einroguard bastard who hadn't even seen their faces use it?

"I believe you, Kitarenanoom."

"Thank you!"

And simultaneously, they unleashed attacks at each other.

As magic was released from Kitarenanoom's body and aura exploded from Basirmack's greatsword, the surrounding passages instantly collapsed.

Though spider monsters were crawling up madly from below, the two ignored them and charged at each other aiming only for each other's lives.

  *

"Excellent. You won't go berserk."

Yi-Han felt very strange being praised by an evil god worshipper.

"...You somehow knew how to make them fight. The power of divination magic?"

"Yes. Power granted by the Great Prophet."

"Still, I didn't expect them to fight so immediately. Were giants attacked or something?"

"Yes. The order's warriors attacked Basirmack's giants and stole ninety-nine hearts."

"..."

"..."

So that's why the fight broke out immediately!

Yi-Han and Alcicle looked at each other with disgusted expressions. Indeed, evil god worshippers were absolutely not to be approached.

"One floor left!"

"Please cast acceleration magic!"

"Is it okay if there are some side effects?"

"We'll take anything!"

With the team members' consent, Yi-Han immediately drew his staff.

Though normally he wouldn't cast enhancement magic taught by the black book much on non-Einroguard students since it strained the body, it was different in this situation with consent.

Since there was only one floor left anyway...

-■■■■■■!-

"They're catching up!"

"Break through! We've all gotten out anyway!"

The team members burned with fighting spirit.

The people gathered here hadn't avoided fighting because they were weak. They just didn't want to waste time with meaningless fights in the depths.

Boom!

Just then, the sound of space being crushed erupted.

Not from below, but above.

"????"

-...Is everyone alright!-

A familiar giant skeleton flew in with an unusually urgent voice.

Beside him was the great mage Erindarbell whom they had seen before. She also seemed quite flustered, sweating with a pale face.

"Lord Gonadaltes! You came to help!"

"Even Lady Erindarbell! Did you predict this exploration's danger in advance!"

-Uh... yeah. That's right.-

"Y-yes."

The two great mages quickly checked Yi-Han first. Seeing the mage alive and well, they both sighed in relief.

The skull principal glared at the great mage beside him.

This great mage sometimes made such absurd mistakes that made his non-existent heart drop.

Yi-Han asked puzzled.

"How did you come? Through divination magic?"

-I originally had a sense of this exploration's danger.-

"????"

It was even more incomprehensible.

The skull principal had clearly said about this exploration that "It must be an artifact distribution event."

Yi-Han asked again.

"Didn't you say it was originally getting artifacts from a hidden underground warehouse?"

-The monsters are coming.-

The skull principal quickly changed the subject.

"They're on a different level from ordinary monsters."

-That's right. Fortunate we noticed before coming out.-

The two great mages planned to burn the eroded space itself.

Who knew what would happen if such monsters escaped outside needlessly.

-Can you handle the cleanup after I annihilate the space?-

"Yes. I'll fix the surrounding space."

-Good. Let's start right away.-

The skull principal tried to cast magic immediately. There was nothing good about dragging this out.

Just then, a paper bird flew to the skull principal's side. When the bird chirped something, the skull principal's eyes shook greatly.

"Is there a problem? Did the monster escape or something?"

-...Come here for a moment.-

"???"

When the skull principal called, Yi-Han became even more worried.

What could the situation be for him to call with such a serious expression?

-Professor Boladi has arrived at the Malachite Magic Tower now.-

"Pardon? Ah. Yes. He said they knew each other."

-...You were never here today.-

"????"