The Conjurer of the Academy

Chapter 58



Chapter 58

 

“Is something wrong?”

Seo Geum-bi asked with a worried expression as I hurriedly stood up.

‘I can’t make her worry.’

The Order Score hadn’t dropped yet, which meant whatever was going to happen hadn’t occurred yet.

Knowing Seo Geum-bi’s nature, if I mentioned that something was up, she would undoubtedly follow me.

“Actually, I just remembered I promised to meet a friend from another school today and forgot. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

I tried to put on the most apologetic expression I could muster to avoid any misunderstandings.

“Hmm…”

Seo Geum-bi seemed to ponder for a moment before meeting my eyes gently.

“Don’t worry about me and go ahead. Your friend must be waiting.”

“Thank you, Senior!”

I bowed at a right angle towards Seo Geum-bi. Immediately after, I turned and sprinted towards the main gate.

“Yomi, where is it?”

An order violation, which is not present in the scenario. Given that it happened just before the festival finale, it couldn’t be ignored.

More importantly, there was a specific reason why it couldn’t simply be dismissed as a minor incident.

[Exit through the main gate and head straight!]

Yomi growled in a low tone.

The location was a nearby construction site some distance away from the school.

The moment the message popup appeared, both of us knew.

‘It’s him.’

A chill ran down my spine. The coldness, which felt like it twisted my entire body, caused cold sweat to trickle down my forehead.

I had never encountered him in real life, but I immediately recognized the cause.

[A barrier.]

A dark, enormous barrier surrounded the construction site. The unpleasant veil obscured the construction site from the outside.

[Barriers are typically erected to prevent anyone outside from noticing the interior. Without the owner’s permission, even spiritual energy inside cannot pass through it.]

“You mean…”

[Yes.]

Yomi bared its teeth, glaring at the barrier.

[He is deliberately leaking his spiritual energy outside the barrier to lure us in.]

In other words, it could be a trap.

He had set up the barrier and let his spiritual energy seep out beyond it intentionally.

He was confident we would come. Crossing this barrier meant stepping into a trap he had set, but…

[It’s not too late to run away.]

“That would be problematic.”

I let out a chuckle without realizing it. It had been a long time since I felt the weight of the fluffball on my shoulder so keenly.

“I’ve made a contract with a rather troublesome guy, you see.”

[Hmph, you talk big.]

Despite her gruff tone, warmth emanated from Yomi’s spirit.

Yomi glared at the barrier, bristling all over. From her small body, a massive blue spirit surged forth.

[I’ll open a passage through the barrier for a short time! Be prepared!]

 

Crack!

 

Yomi’s spirit clashed with the barrier, creating a circular breach.

“Let’s go!”

I pushed through with all my strength, heading beyond the barrier.

 

* * *

 

As soon as I passed through the barrier, I was hit by a wave of dizziness, causing my body to stagger.

‘Ugh, my head…’

The inside of the barrier was filled with dense, murky spiritual energy, like a thick gas. Just being exposed to it made my head and stomach feel like they were about to turn inside out.

“People…!”

Inside the construction site, several individuals lay sprawled out, including Babel students and visitors. Among them were young children, appearing to be elementary school-aged.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

A calm, high-pitched voice echoed within the construction site. The first to react was Yomi.

[You scoundrel!!! Show yourself!]

Yomi roared furiously.

Soon, the space beyond us cracked open, revealing a figure dressed in a suit and wearing a fedora.

“It’s been a while, Yomi.”

The figure had fluffy fur, large bloodshot eyes, protruding front teeth, and long ears pinned beneath the fedora.

Humanoid in appearance, yet resembling a Rabbit—this creature was –

“The Moon Rabbit that pounds rice cakes”

A fully manifested yokai.

Classified as an S-rank monster within the Hunter system and the main culprit behind the virus outbreak.

“I’ve been expecting you, Mr. Ha-baek.”

The Rabbit removed its fedora and greeted me like a gentleman. However, this was no time for formalities.

I drew the Sain-gum from my waist and pointed it at the Rabbit.

“You’ve been waiting for me?”

“Yes. Please forgive the somewhat aggressive methods employed to invite you, Mr. Ha-baek. I assure you, not a single hair on these humans has been harmed.”

The Rabbit put its fedora back on.

‘What’s with this attitude?’

The Rabbit was usually courteous.

Its actions and words were always theatrical and serious, but in my memory, the Rabbit never had lines like “I’ve been expecting you.”

“Please lower your sword.”

“…!”

In the blink of an eye, the Rabbit had approached right in front of me. With its claws, it gently pushed the Sain-gum to the side.

‘It’s fast…!’

My eyesight couldn’t keep up with its speed. Reflexively, I took a step back.

“I did not come here today to fight with Mr. Ha-baek. Instead, I came to make a proposal to you.”

“A proposal?”

The Rabbit’s eyes gleamed at my words.

“I’ve always kept an eye on Mr. Ha-baek’s extraordinary abilities. When I first discovered your spiritual mark in the cave, I was honestly unsure. But after the ‘test’ the other day, I became certain.”

“…So it was your doing.”

Spreading the virus in the mock subjugation and releasing the infected creature at school were all the Rabbit’s doing.

“Why did you do such things?”

There must have been easier ways to test the virus.

However, I couldn’t understand why he went through the trouble of evading surveillance to release the virus in the mock subjugation.

“It’s simple. It was to find descendants of the three great shaman families like Mr. Ha-baek. Schools are always teeming with latent talents.”

The Rabbit spread its thick fingers.

“The Jin shaman family of the three great shaman families has perished without leaving descendants, and the Seol shaman family never reveals themselves to the world.”

Listening to the Rabbit’s words, pieces of my memory fell into place. The tiled house deep in the mountains, guarded by totem poles warning off intruders.

All of it suggested an environment deliberately hidden away.

“And then, I found Mr. Ha-baek.”

I had essentially fallen into a net set by the Rabbit.

“So, what is this proposal?”

“Oh, I’ve rambled on too long.”

The Rabbit looked up at the sky and spread its arms as if trying to embrace it.

“I’ve recently entered into a deal with a ‘client’ to carry out a certain project. Given the high difficulty of this project, we are in dire need of talent. How about joining us?”

“Listen.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

Even with my nerves on edge, I had to act as calmly as possible.

“For someone making a proposal, you’re keeping too much information under wraps, don’t you think?”

I had to extract as much information as possible when given the chance.

“What exactly is this project? And what do I gain if I join your plan? Who is this ‘client’?”

At my barrage of questions, the Rabbit let out a faint chuckle.

[Don’t tell me you’re considering making a deal with that Rabbit!]

“I’m assessing the situation.”

[What!!]

As I showed interest in the Rabbit’s words, Yomi patted my shoulder with its front paw.

Sorry, Yomi.

Feigning interest was the best way to extract information from the Rabbit.

‘I’ve practiced handling spiritual energy enough.’

Being able to read someone’s spirit means they can read yours in return. I had learned to control my spiritual energy calmly, even amid emotional turmoil, for situations like this. The current stillness of my spirit was so well-maintained that even Yomi could be deceived.

“Your point is valid.”

 

Snap

 

The Rabbit snapped its fingers.

‘An illusion?’

An illusion appeared before my eyes.

It felt similar to when Seol Baek-san burned Jin Dal-rae’s talisman.

“This is the world we seek to create.”

A world where all humans were ghastly pale, infected with a virus-curse, hunting the uninfected. Only the infected remained, leaving a peaceful and quiet world.

And on a throne, I stood tall, being worshiped by the infected.

“Mr. Ha-baek, you could seize great power and reign as king in this world.”

The Rabbit’s whisper carried a sweet scent. It was a temptation that seemed to lure my very soul.

[Don’t listen! That deceitful tongue is like a snake’s, it will ensnare your soul!]

“I know.”

I nodded towards Yomi. I had already decided what I needed to say.

“You and that ‘client’ of yours are utterly insane.”

“Haha, I expected you to say that.”

The Rabbit scratched its cheek awkwardly.

“Mr. Ha-baek, I am a merchant. I understand that persuading you immediately is a tall order. Today, I’ve merely come to see you and extend my greetings.”

[Wait, you vile Rabbit! I will soon come to tear your throat apart!!]

The Rabbit glanced at the roaring Yomi.

“Your temper has really mellowed, crippled one. In the past, you would have charged at me the moment you saw me.”

The Rabbit squinted its eyes and gave a sly smile.

“You know it too. Unlike in the past, you can’t even scratch me now and would be annihilated instead.”

“Yomi, don’t fall for—”

“How pitiful and pathetic you are, fox. Have you gathered enough spiritual energy from the fox orb I devoured?”

[What!!]

Yomi, unable to resist the provocation, leaped into the air.

[I won’t let you get away with this!!]

“Yomi!”

The fluffball transformed into a full-sized fox and charged at the Rabbit with all its might.

“Puhaha, I shall receive your answer in the near future. But before that—”

 

Boom!!

 

Something massive landed between Yomi and the Rabbit.

“Bwong…”

It was a giant stuffed rabbit with its seams bursting and covered in patches. The figure, towering at least two stories high, glanced down at Yomi.

“Until next time.”

With a flourish, the Moon Rabbit melted back through the cracked space.

“Kill the fox.”

With those words, the Rabbit disappeared through the space.

“Bwong…”

The giant rabbit doll slowly rose at its command.

‘Doll minion.’

One of the Moon Rabbit’s patterns is to summon numerous doll minions. While smaller ones are only about C-rank, large ones like this…

‘B+ to A-rank.’

The doll raised its front paw towards Yomi. Its paw was wrapped in the distinctive purple spiritual energy of the Rabbit.

“Yomi, get back!”

Getting hit by that would be dangerous.

But the paw swung down before I could react—

“Windy.”

 

Boom!

 

Something flew in at great speed and pierced through the giant rabbit doll’s stomach.

“Bwwww….”

A large hole formed where it was pierced, followed by a fierce gust of wind. The rabbit doll staggered and then toppled over.

‘Could it be…’

I turned my head toward the direction of the voice.

“Are you alright?”

Her long, dark green hair fluttered in the blowing wind.


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