I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius

I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius – 49

EP.49 Park Shin-hoo in Crisis (3)

‘What on earth is that!!! That monster!!! Where did it suddenly come from!!!’

Credo glared at Kang Seo-jun with disgust and anger.

His appearance was so repulsive that just looking at him made his eyes sting.

That figure was undeniably that of a ghoul.

However, its power was not at the level of a ghoul.

The underling who had been defeated by him in a single blow were skilled fighters with an average B-rank.

The undead that could defeat them in the blink of an eye were at least at the level of a Death Knight or a high-ranking vampire, which were above the level of epic undead.

However…

‘It’s ridiculous for a high-ranking undead to suddenly appear here!!!’

This place was not even an undead spawning area.

Nevertheless, if it was true that he was a high-ranking undead, then at least a S-rank or higher necromancer had intervened in this situation, or a high-ranking member of a deep-rooted vampire clan had personally come forward…

‘Does that make any sense!!!’

They were all top-tier individuals who operated in legendary-grade gates or the top floors of towers.

They were not people who would wander around in minor leagues like this dirt field.

‘Then who on earth is that…!’

Credo’s rationality, which had been hardened by disgust, began to return.

‘No…! Looking closely…!’

Something that he hadn’t seen because he had been avoiding the repulsive appearance caught Credo’s eye.

The person he thought was undead was wearing the same student robe as Park Shin-hoo.

‘Academy student robe…?’

Furthermore…

‘Gasp! Come to think of it, that guy! He appeared while calling my name! He knows me!!! Does that mean!?’

Chills ran down Credo’s body and his hair stood on end.

Appearance like an undead, skill level of S-rank or higher, academy student robe, knowing his name.

There were almost no conclusions that could be drawn from combining that information, but there was one hypothesis that could be made.

‘Could he be targeting me!?’

At least a summoned being of epic grade or a strong individual of S-rank or higher.

If that was the situation, then the most important thing right now was not the guy’s identity.

“Gasps!!!”

It was time to figure out how to survive from that.

Disgust led to confusion, and confusion turned into fear.

Credo’s rationality was once again paralyzed.

‘What’s important now is not the mission!’

Credo kicked Park Shin-hoo to the ground to free his hands.

– Gasp! –

“Survival is the top priority now!”

“Uwaaaack!!”

Rolling!

– Thud! –

Park Shin-hoo, who was thrown off by Credo, rolled on the ground fiercely and fell down.

‘That…! You perverted bastard!! Of all times, why you made me show such a shameful sight in front of Kang Seo-jun!!’

Park Shin-hoo, who had never once taken it lightly when his pride was touched.

‘I won’t forgive…!’

It was the pervert’s mistake to let himself go while conscious of Kang Seo-jun.

‘To counterattack like this and take revenge… Ugh!!!’

He thought that way until he saw Credo’s menacing momentum.

Before he knew it, Credo was thrusting a red dagger into his own heart.

“Kkuuuuaaack!!!”

The posture was unmistakably suicide, but ironically, his magic had become so fierce that it was incomparable to before.

– Hoooo!! –

– Thump! Thump! Thump thump! –

Red magic surged from his body like a whip, sweeping through the area.

– Whishhh! –

– Aaargh! –

– Kwaaaaah! –

Such tremendous power that it could shatter surrounding trees and rocks.

Moreover, his momentum was getting faster and fiercer.

“K, Kkuk! Damn it!”

Park Shin-hoo staggered and ultimately couldn’t approach further, darting behind Kang Seo-jun.

“Kang Seo-jun! Stop him! That’s all you can do!”

“…… ”

Kang Seo-jun looked at the helpless Park Shin-hoo, then turned his gaze back to Credo.

‘So, you’re going to draw that dagger?’

————–

《Item》

▶Paimon’s Broken Dagger

◆Grade:

[Epic+]

◆Description:

A magic weapon forged from a fragment of the Dagger of the demon Paimon, known for its rampage and destruction. It carries Paimon’s scent.

When used, all of the user’s abilities increase by +5 each, and their traits and skill grades increase by one level each.

Using it consumes one year of lifespan per minute.

Abilities over 35 cannot benefit from the item’s effects.

Traits and skills above Epic grade cannot benefit from the item’s effects.

This item is exclusive to [Devil], [Demonkin], [Demon].

————–

The dagger Credo pulled out was an artifact favored by A-grade demonkins as a last resort.

Although it was a rare item of epic grade, it was a buffing magic weapon that was more common than expected when hunting demons.

However, the cost of use was tremendous, so it was usually only brought out in the final phase.

‘Lucky.’

Credo had no idea how he managed to pull out that magic weapon from the start, but regardless, it was good for Kang Seo-jun.

————–

《Skill》

▶Name:

Counter Time

◆Grade:

[Epic]

◆Description:

When used, it will dodge all melee attacks below epic grade for 10 minutes and retaliate with 1.2 times the enemy’s attack power. It can only be used once a day, and the cooldown is reset at midnight.

————–

The skill ‘Counter Time’ lasted only 10 minutes.

‘I was worried that the fight might drag on due to the ambiguous defense.’

If the opponent came out with full force from the beginning like this, Kang Seo-jun could quickly end the battle by using the opponent’s attack power against them, so he welcomed it.

Meanwhile,

– Hoooo…! –

“Kkuuuuuaaaack!!!”

Credo, who had greatly boosted his strength with the magic weapon, was also in an enhanced state.

‘Demonic Energy surges throughout my body!’

While he was gathering magic throughout his body, he didn’t know why the undead-like figure had left him alone.

“’y power is now S+ grade or higher! Even if that guy is an S-grade expert, he can’t beat me now!!!’

With that conviction, Credo struck the ground.

– Kwaaaaaah!!! –

The ground exploded as if hit by a shell.

In just 0.0581 seconds,

Credo took the time to approach Kang Seo-jun, who was 20m away.

It was as if time had stopped, and one second was divided into a thousandth and ten-thousandth of a second.

In that infinite time, Credo looked at Kang Seo-jun with his fist raised.

‘This brute…!’

Kang Seo-jun stood still without a flinch.

‘He couldn’t react to my speed!’

Credo, confident of his victory, put even more strength into his fist.

‘I’ll blow his head off with one strike!’

– Boom! –

It was like a blow where a storm was completely condensed into the fist.

It was just about to hit Kang Seo-jun’s throat.

[Skill 《Counter Time》 activated.]

[Critical hit! A lucky strike hits the enemy’s vital point!]

“?”

Suddenly, Credo’s vision went dark.

– Whoosh! –

– Boom! –

At the same time, Credo felt as if he had fallen into water, and the sounds of the world seemed very distant.

And when he opened his eyes again.

“Ugh, ugh!? Kaaaaaack!!!”

A dreadful pain was gnawing at his right arm.

Credo swallowed his tears and looked down at his right arm.

“Gasp, gasp!!!”

It was gone.

His right arm, which should have been there, had flown away somewhere, and all that was visible was a bundle of muscles hanging like an octopus leg.

“Kaaack!!!”

“……!!!”

Park Shin-hoo looked at him with a shocked expression.

“W-what… just happened? What…?”

The clash between Credo and Kang Seo-jun happened in just 0.01 seconds.

Park Shin-hoo, who was only at a B-grade level, couldn’t see anything.

With just a blink of an eye in the chilly wind, Credo had lost his right arm and was impaled on a tree.

On the other hand, Kang Seo-jun, as if nothing had happened, didn’t move an inch and stood there unmoved.

However…

– Splash! Splash! –

– Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. –

Judging by Kang Seo-jun holding Credo’s severed arm like a fish, one could vaguely guess that the two had just clashed.

So, did he rush in from the demon side, only to have his arm torn off and thrown away in retaliation?

‘T-That’s impossible…!!!’

No matter how skilled an A-grade was, such remnants would be visible.

However, Park Shin-hoo couldn’t feel Credo’s initiative or Kang Seo-jun’s counterattack at all.

‘This is unbelievable!!!’

Park Shin-hoo found it hard to accept what that meant.

‘Is Kang Seo-jun… really an S-grade!!!?’

Not being able to read even a speck of their movements meant that the gap in skill between Kang Seo-jun and himself was that vast.

‘This bastard…!!!’

This fact ignited a fierce flame of jealousy in Park Shin-hoo’s heart.

“Don’t get cocky!!! You arrogant bastard!!!”

Park Shin-hoo reached out to the ground and moved the spirits.

– Thud! –

“?”

Kang Seo-jun felt a strange sensation under his feet and looked down.

“……?”

– Thump! Thump! –

Piles of earth grabbed his feet and solidified like rocks.

“What is this?”

Looking with the eyes of the spirits, Kang Seo-jun saw that the earth piles were connected to Park Shin-hoo’s mana.

Kang Seo-jun turned his head and looked at Park Shin-hoo.

“Don’t run away and buy me some time!”

Park Shin-hoo said shamelessly and turned his back without looking back.

“While I’m running away!”

It’s better if you get crippled while fighting.

With that curse, Park Shin-hoo ran towards the academy camp without looking back.

“……Wow.”

Kang Seo-jun quietly admired Park Shin-hoo’s character, something he had never experienced even in the original work, ‘Grand Hunter Academy’.

Furthermore…

“When did you learn spirit magic?”

“Kkuuugh…! Kkuug! Ggok!”

To make matters worse, Credo’s groans were gradually subsiding, a sign that he was slowly regaining his body and mind.

“Haa… Jjut.”

While Park Shin-hoo fleeing was the expected flow for Kang Seo-jun, being tied up like this was troublesome.

He had to finish Credo off before he regained his senses and fled.

“There’s no other choice.”

Kang Seo-jun opened his trait window.

————–

《Skill》

▶ Parasitic Growth

◆ Grade:

[Epic]

◆ Description:

Absorbs 20% of the experience gained by the host as nutrients for the growth of the parasite.

Current Host: Park Shin-Hoo

※Special Effect 1: When the ability increases by 1 point through ‘Parasitic Growth’, you can exchange one desired trait with the host.

[Remaining Trait Exchange Points: 2]

————–

Currently, there are 2 remaining trait exchange vouchers.

“I’ll take the spirit resonance for myself.”

Kang Seo-jun didn’t know how Park Shin-hoo acquired spirit magic, but that wasn’t important now.

“Why did you tie up your already slow feet?”

To untie his tied feet, he had to bring Park Shin-hoo’s spirit magic.

It was a moment where all the efforts Park Shin-hoo made, even devouring the earth, would be in vain.